ORIGINS of 9/11Why did the United States get involved in the Soviet-Afghan war and how did they do it?

Who were the mujahedin and the Afghan rebels?

What is terrorism?

What is UBL’s role in international terrorism and what is the purpose of al Qaeda? What does UBL want?

How does al Qaeda justify mass murder of civilians?

How did the U.S. fail to stop the 9/11 plot?

*What was the role of economic interests in shaping foreign policy related to anti-terrorism efforts?

1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; slow start of U.S.’s covert proxy war1981 Ronald Reagan administration begins; increase in U.S. support for covert proxy war1985 Support by U.S. of mujahedin and Afghan rebels reaching its height1989 George H. W. Bush administration begins; Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, UBL creates al Qaeda1990 Iraq invades Kuwait; Persian Gulf War or “Gulf War I” begins.1991 Operation Desert Storm/Persian Gulf War ends.1992 UBL in Sudan1993 Clinton administration begins; Terrorism in WTC via truck bomb; U.S. led military operation in Somalia1995 Oklahoma City bombing by domestic terrorists1996 Taliban takes over key parts of Afghanistan; UBL expelled from Sudan; Atlanta Olympics bombing by domestic terrorist1998 U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania bombed 2000 USS Cole, docked in Yemen, attacked by explosives loaded on a skiff2001 George W. Bush administration begins; September 11, 2001 attacks

“… the deliberate creation and exploitation of fear through violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of change” (46).

This includes: -- The use of force not sanctioned by tradition rules of war, i.e. illegal force-- Oftentimes political motives-- Attacks against “soft” civilian and passive military targets-- Acts aimed at purposefully affecting an audience.

Source: Martin 2007 Understanding Terrorism pp. 45 - 47

What is Terrorism?

AfghanistanA wonderlandJust drop into a storeAnd you’ll be seen no more -- a rhyme from Soviet conscripts in the Afghan War Source: Coll 2004 Ghost Wars p. 132

-- Aimless U.S. policy on Afghanistan after 1989.

-- Over-reliance on relations with Pakistan and appeasement of the Taliban.

-- UBL ranked behind WMD in White House concerns from Clinton to Bush II.

-- “The Wall” of not sharing intelligence between government agencies, especially the FBI and CIA. 

How did the U.S. fail to stop the 9/11 plot?