The war in Afghanistan started 18 years ago to fight terrorism after 9/11 — is the US safer?
The world was dramatically different 18 years ago when the war in Afghanistan started.
That operation ballooned into a multi-front war on terror that has lasted nearly two decades and sparked criticism for its duration and questions about its mission. Since then, the terrorism threat landscape has evolved, with ISIS and homegrown extremists emerging as dangers. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, who studies Afghanistan and terrorism, echoed that sentiment, saying"the fact that the Taliban provided safe haven to al Qaeda in which al Qaeda could recruit, organize, plan, train, made al Qaeda very potent, and that is gone now."
Kolenda noted that"al Qaeda is still unable to reestablish a presence in Afghanistan," but added that"the real question becomes ‘Is the current level of investment in troops and treasure necessary to prevent to a large-scale terror safe haven for al Qaeda or Islamic State, or are there other options’" on how to achieve that goal.
In his farewell address in 2009, George W. Bush said"Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school." In 2013, Donald Trump called the effort in Afghanistan a"waste" and called for the U.S. to bring its troops home.
John Cohen, a former acting Homeland Security undersecretary and current ABC News consultant, similarly said that while the efforts in Afghanistan have worked, the threat and the source of danger to the U.S. has evolved over time. "Terrorist groups have learned that its very difficult to have people sneak into our country, so instead of recruiting people, they are using social media to inspire people," Cohen said, noting that in doing so that bypasses"so many of the techniques we used to detect potential attackers -- because there’s no communication or travel between the attackers and the other members of the group.
He said that in spite of any and all efforts made by counter-terrorism officials, they can never control every factor, noting how the terrorists"get to decide time, place, and location. They get to decide whether they're using encrypted communication technology. They get to decide if they talk to anyone about their attack."
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Afghan generation knows only conflict as war turns 18'Imagine turning 18 having known nothing but conflict and war throughout your entire childhood.” As US invasion in Afghanistan turns 18 years old today, every single Afghan child now has known only war
Weiterlesen »
The war in Afghanistan started 18 years ago. Is the US safer?TODAY IN HISTORY: On this day in 2001, the war in Afghanistan started as the United States and Great Britain launched air attacks against military targets and Osama bin Laden's training camps in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
Weiterlesen »
18-year-old US soldier to serve in Afghanistan 18 years after conflict beganA U.S. soldier near as old as the Afghanistan conflict girds for deployment.
Weiterlesen »
Afghan generation knows only conflict as war turns 18'Imagine turning 18 having known nothing but conflict and war throughout your entire childhood.” As US invasion in Afghanistan turns 18 years old today, every single Afghan child now has known only war
Weiterlesen »
Lady Gaga Dyed Her Hair Cotton-Candy Pink'A year ago, A Star was Born,' she wrote on Instagram.
Weiterlesen »
We’re More at Risk of Nuclear War With Russia Than We ThinkAnalysis: U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle need to start addressing the danger of nuclear war with Russia
Weiterlesen »