Operation Enduring Freedom: October 2001 – March 2002

by Richard W. Stewart

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001 dramatically changed the world in which we live. Never had an enemy attacked us on our own soil to such effect. Over 3,000 Americans died that day at the hands of a ruthless, and to some degree faceless, enemy. The terrorist organization known as al Qaeda, perpetrator of the attack, operated in the shadows to take advantage of the freedom and openness that are American hallmarks. Afghanistan, a known training ground and a safe haven for al Qaeda, quickly became the focus of the first military efforts to strike back. Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda's enigmatic leader, believed he and his followers were beyond the reach of American arms in that far-off mountainous land, protected by its fanatical Taliban regime.

Bin Laden was wrong. Most Americans are familiar with the military operation in Afghanistan. In a matter of months, the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy, in a masterful display of joint operations and in concert with our Afghan allies, overthrew the Taliban regime and drove the terrorist al Qaeda into worldwide flight. Our actions in Afghanistan dramatically demonstrated the reach of American power and the strength of American will. The campaign was a stirring beginning to the newly announced Global War on Terrorism...

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 4, 2004