Afghanistan: Current Issues and U.S. Policy Concerns
Abstract
U.S. and international officials are hopeful that Afghanistan is emerging from more than 22 years of warfare and instability, although substantial risk to Afghan stability remains. Before the U.S. military campaign against the orthodox Islamist Taliban movement began on Oct 7, 2001, Afghanistan had been mired in conflict since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan during 1996 until its collapse at the hands of the U.S. and Afghan opposition military campaign in Nov-Dec 2001. During its rule, the Taliban was opposed primarily by the Northern Alliance, a coalition of minority ethnic groups. During 1998 until its rule ended, the Taliban had come under increasing international pressure to cease hosting of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and members of his Al Qaeda organization, the prime suspect in the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The collapse of the Taliban has enabled the United States and its coalition partners to send forces throughout Afghanistan to search for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters and leaders that remain at large, including bin Laden himself. Afghan citizens are enjoying new personal freedoms that were forbidden under the Taliban. With the Taliban defeated, the United States and its coalition partners are distributing additional humanitarian aid through newly opened routes and, in conjunction with international agencies, beginning a major reconstruction effort. Although the Northern Alliance has emerged as the dominant force in the country, the United States and UN mediators persuaded the Alliance to share power with Pashtun representatives in a broad-based interim government. On Dec 5, 2001, major Afghan factions signed an agreement to form an interim government that will run Afghanistan until a traditional national assembly ("loya jirga") takes place during June 10-16, 2002. The interim government, which took office on Dec 22, 2001, is chaired by a Pashtun leader, Hamid Karzai.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 20, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA472901
Entities
People
- Kenneth Katzman
Organizations
- Library of Congress