Two weeks ago, President Obama announced on national TV, that al Qaeda leader and terrorist, Osama bin Laden, had been killed by a U. S. Navy SEAL team. With that news, there was spontaneous jubilation and celebration in many of America’s cities reminiscent of the celebrations that came with the end of World War II. Americans felt justified in partying at the death of a man who had masterminded the killing of more than 3,000 Americans on a clear September morning in 2001.
With bin Laden’s death later confirmed by the al Qaeda leadership, many Americans began calling for a rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan, now that the “mission has actually been accomplished.” This call is somewhat shortsighted. It assumes that al Qaeda, with its many franchises and faces, will simply cease to exist because the face of the organization has been assassinated. Nothing could be further from the truth. We must remember that prior to going into Afghanistan in October 2001 to get bin Laden, the U. S. Government requested that the Taliban (then the legitimate Government of Afghanistan) turn bin Laden over to us after 9-11. The Taliban response was “…prove that he committed a crime under Islamic law.” This came after bin Laden appeared via video to take credit for the death and destruction that occurred on American soil.
President Bush’s address to a joint session of Congress on 20 September 2001 set the tone of our response when the Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden in October 2001. In that September address, the President said, “We will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.” This statement was, in essence, one of the four tenets of the Bush Doctrine: “[The United States will] make no distinction between terrorists and the nations that harbor them–and hold both to account.” That is why we went into Afghanistan – the existing Afghanistan Government harbored known terrorist and refused to bring these criminals to justice who had acted violently against the citizens of the United States. And that is also the reason we can’t immediately withdraw.
A withdrawal which leaves the current Afghani Government is a position where it cannot defend itself against the return of the insurgent Taliban, is an invitation for a repeat of the events of September 11th at some future date. The Taliban have already demonstrated that they will provide safe harbor for terrorist. Therefore, there is no reason to think that they won’t do so again should they return to power.
So, should we get out of Afghanistan – yes! But not without leaving behind an Afghani Government capable of defending itself and one that won’t sponsor or provide a haven for terrorist or their ilk who wish us harm. That will take time; perhaps more time then some of us are really comfortable with, but if we do it right we won’t have to come back. Then we can really proclaim “Mission Accomplished” and know that it’s true.