Link to the Show / Show NotesOperation Enduring Freedom, specifically the 2001 war in Afghanistan,
was the first step to President Bush's war on terror. It is known as
the greatest special forces war ever fought because of the US's heavy
reliance on a few highly-trained operatives on the ground pinpointing
targets for a high-tech force in the air.
The war was fought between the Coalition (consisting mostly of US
forces)/Northern Alliance (Afghan rebels) and the Taliban (Afghan
government)/Al Qaeda (led by Osama bin Laden). The was was pretty much
one-sided, with the Northern Alliance ground offensive easily sweeping
through Kabul, the capital of the Taliban, and Kandahar, the military
stronghold of the Taliban. The one battle that the Coalition/Northern
Alliance arguably lost was the Battle of Tora Bora, in which Osama bin
Laden was cornered but somehow escaped.
Now, it is the insurgency that is causing problems for the new government led by Hamid Karzai.
The war is seen as a "good war" by both sides of the political aisle.
For more information, read:
Foreign Affairs: The Afghan Quagmire (November 2001)
Bush's Speech
Galenet Article One
Galenet Article Two
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/enduring-freedom.htm
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and International Research and Publishing Corporation
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