AFGHANISTAN

Re-election

1747

1989

2004

2021

Creation

Experimenting Democracy

Buffer state

Anti-communist faction and Taliban

Fall in 1996 to the Taliban

UN intervetion for democracy

First elected president and National Assambly

Taliban not gone

Anti-terrorist war continues

US withdrawal

Other factors

Taliban take over

Balance of Power into action

Time line AFGHANISTAN

Proxy War, USSR

9/11

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747.

The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. Buffer state: A country lying between 2 rival or potentially hostile greater powers. Its existence can sometimes be thought to prevent conflict between them., sometimes a mutually agreed upon area which is demilitarized in the sense of not hosting the military of either power (though it will usually have its own military forces).

• The invasion of a buffer state by one of the powers surrounding it will often result in war between the powers
• Buffer states, when authentically independent, typically pursue a neutralist foreign policy, which distinguishes them from satellite states.
• The concept of buffer states is part of a theory of the balance of power that entered European strategic and diplomatic thinking in the 17th century.

References: The Ohio State University (2021). Afghanistan. Retrieved from: https://ehistory.osu.edu/regions/afghanistan Patna University (2021) Buffer States. Retrieved from https://www.patnauniversity.ac.in/e-content/social_sciences/geography/MAGeog15.pdf

A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to "end the country's civil war and anarchy". References: The Ohio State University (2021)

The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels.

• The Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War (1978–92) and remained in Afghanistan until mid-February 1989.
• Mujahideen are members of a number of guerrilla groups operating in Afghanistan during the Afghan War (1978–92) that opposed the invading Soviet forces and eventually toppled the Afghan communist government.
  • Rival factions thereafter fell out among themselves, precipitating the rise of one faction, the Taliban, and an opposing coalition, the Northern Alliance.

References: The Ohio State University (2021) Britannica (2021) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan Soviet invasion of Afghanistan | Summary & FactsSoviet invasion of Afghanistan, military action carried out in late December 1979 by Soviet troops. The Soviet Union intervened in support of the...Encyclopedia Britannica Britannica (2021). mujahideen. Retreived from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/mujahideen-Afghani-rebels mujahideen | Afghanistan, History, Meaning, Significance, & FactsMujahideen, members of a number of guerrilla groups during the Afghan War (1978-92) that opposed the invading Soviet forces and eventually toppled...Encyclopedia Britannica

KARZAI was re-elected in August 2009 for a second term. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

Former US President George Bush's administration vowed a swift and decisive war against the Taliban. But that turned into a protracted and deadly conflict that lasted almost 20 years.

EXAMPLE: India is likely to host its own conference on the developing situation in Afghanistan next month. The central government is in touch with Russia, China, US and several regional countries for the conference, which is likely to take place in the second week of November. According to a report by Times of India, A final confirmation from the conference invitees is awaited, said the report. While there are no plans yet to invite the Taliban for the conference, an invite to Pakistan is not ruled out. Meanwhile, India will participate in the meeting being hosted by Russia involving the Taliban next week, the Ministry for External Affairs said on Thursday. A Taliban delegation has already confirmed that they will attend the October 20 event in Moscow for the so-called Moscow format talks on Afghanistan, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the Russian foreign ministry as saying. https://www.news18.com/news/india/india-plans-global-conference-on-afghanistans-takeover-by-taliban-pakistan-may-be-invited-report-4328024.html India Plans Global Conference on Afghanistan's Takeover by Taliban, Pakistan May be Invited: ReportIndia is likely to host its own conference on the developing situation in Afghanistan next month. The central government is in touch with Russia,...News18

On the evening of August 26, just 11 the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Nevertheless, instability continues: " The Taliban claims security “has been assured” in Afghanistan since it took over, and that the country has been saved from the “quagmire of war”. But a series of attacks carried out by an affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) group in recent weeks has shattered those claims." References: Taliban takes on ISKP, its most serious foe in AfghanistanAfghan group cracks down on ISKP (ISIS-K) members after a series of deadly attacks, but experts say it won't be an easy task. The Taliban claims...Aljazeera : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/27/afghanistan-taliban-promises-to-eradicate-groups-seeking-chaos

The World Bank suspends aid disbursements to Afghanistan, voicing concerns about how the Taliban takeover will affect “the country’s development prospects, especially for women."

As part of the Doha Peace Agreement, the US agrees to withdraw military forces within 14 months, which expired in May 2021. US President Joe Biden announces the pullout of US forces from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. References: The Ohio State University (2021)

In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December (2005). References: The Ohio State University (2021)