Free When Elephants Fight by Eric Walters Page A

country. While many countries were appalled by the strict interpretation of the Qur’an and the harshness of punishment and position of women, there were some things that were applauded. Afghanistan had always been a major world source of illegal drugs—opium and heroin—and this practice was almost completely eliminated under the Taliban. Regardless, this country was now not seen to have any significant military value, and no countries intervened.
The Taliban in Power 1998–2001
    Outside mujahideen had battled alongside Afghans to overthrow the Soviets and the communist government they had left behind. Once the Taliban established a government, these fighters were allowed to remain in the country. One of these groups, al-Qaeda, under the direction of Osama Bin Laden, saw little difference between the Soviet Union and the western world. In both cases theywere seen as enemies of the Muslim faith. Al-Qaeda had the objectives of eliminating foreign influences on Muslim countries and eradicating infidels. The United States was seen as the primary enemy and attacks were planned. In 1993 a truck bomb exploded in the parking garage under the World Trade Center in New York City. In 1998 the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed. In 2000 the destroyer USS
Cole
was attacked. As al-Qaeda became linked to this attack, the United States and the international community demanded the Taliban turn over the terrorists to international authorities. The Taliban government, which had been recognized by only a few countries in the world as the legitimate government, chose to ignore these demands. This was in part based on its lack of connection or willingness to be connected to the outside world, its belief that the international community would not act and finally, a strongly held Afghan obligation that these people were guests and that guests needed to be protected.
    The United States, acting with the approval of many of its allies, launched a series of cruise missiles against al-Qaeda training camps in response to the bombing of the embassies. This action had very limited success and, in some ways, simply elevated this terrorist group in status and emboldened them by making them believe that the international community would not take significant actions.
September 11, 2001
    The members of al-Qaeda had vowed to take the war across the ocean and strike at the United States on its territory. This threat became reality when four airplanes were hijacked on September 11. These planes crashed into both of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and the fourth plane crashed before reaching its target, also in Washington.
    The initial reaction of this massive attack, which resulted in the loss of over two thousand lives, was stunned disbelief. Not since Pearl Harbor had there been such a massive and coordinated attack on American soil. And in this attack almost all the fatalities were civilians, including the indiscriminate deaths of women and children. In that instant the world community became galvanized, and the entire world condemned the loss of innocent human life.
    The reaction of the world community was strong and instant. On September 18, the United Nations Security Council issued a resolution demanding that the Taliban turnover those people responsible for the September attack. The Taliban government requested proof of its involvement and again refused to follow this direction, but some attempts to negotiate through a third party were initiated. These attempts were seen as insincere by the western world.
    While the political diplomatic process continued, members of the American and British Special Forces began to infiltrate Afghanistan and link up with the Northern Alliance, a group within the country which had been at ongoing war with the Taliban. On October 7, a massive aerial bombing campaign began, which targeted al-Qaeda training bases, military targets and