Timeline of Afghanistan Political Events

Timeline of Afghanistan Political Events

2004

1979

1992

1988

1998

In 1988, Osama Bin Laden and 15 other Islamists form the group al-Qaida, or “the base” to continue their holy war against the Soviets and other who they say oppose their goal of a pure nation governed by Islam. Many young Afghanistan’s joined in on the idea of a holy war. Many people rallied the Afghan jihad because they felt that Islam itself was threatened by the advance of communism. Afghanistan meant little to most of them, but the faith of the Afghan people meant a great deal.

In 1992, the mujahidin and other rebel groups, stormed the capital, Labul and throw out Najibullah from power. The mujahidin form a largely Islamic state with Professor Burhannudin Rabbani as president. He was an ethnic Tajik leader from the north; he had support in Pashtun areas in the south and east. He was seen by many Afghanistan’s as one of Afghanistan’s cleverest and most influential politicians. He also had some of the tightest security of any Afghanistan leader.

In 1979, the American Ambassador Adolph Dubs was killed. After his death, the United States cut off their assistance to Afghanistan. Towards the end of 1979, the USSR invaded Afghanistan to strengthen the hesitating communist regime. Soon after their invasion, Babrak Karmal becomes prime minster of Afghanistan. These events impacted the people of Afghanistan in a very negative way because they no longer held control of their government. Many Afghans protested violently against the USSR.

In January of 2004, the Loya Jirga, or grand council, adopts a new constitution following input from nearly five-hundred thousand Afghans. The new constitution calls for a president and two vice presidents but the office of prime minister is removed last minute. This changed the lives of Afghanistan’s because the constitution guarantees to strengthen national unity, safeguard independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. They also want to establish an order based on the peoples’ will and democracy. They also guarantee to from a civil society that voids oppression, atrocity, discrimination as well as violence, based on rule of law, social injustice, and protecting integrity and human rights, and lastly, attaining peoples’ freedom and fundamental rights. After the constitution is establish, the official languages in Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari.

In 1998, the Taliban control over two-thirds of Afghanistan. They imposed their brand of justice with consolidated territorial control. They neglected social services and other basic state functions. They enforced prohibitions on behavior the Taliban deemed un-Islamic, such as requiring women to wear head-to-toe burqa, banning music and television, and jailing men whose beards that deemed too short. Also, the United States accused Osama bin Laden for bombing embassies in Africa and launched missile strikes at suspected bases. The nation that longed for peace went right back to war.

1979

1992

1998

1988

2004

2001

2009

1995

1989

1986

After the 9/11 attack in 2001, U.S. officials believe bin Laden is hiding in Afghanistan and he is framed as primary suspect for the attack. The U.S. demand that the Taliban in Afghanistan hand over bin Laden, but the Taliban did not respond to these demands. Following the unanswered demands, U.S. and British forces launch airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan. American warplanes start to bomb Taliban targets and bases that were reported to belong to the al-Qaida network. The Taliban are not afraid to begin yet another war. After months of fighting, by December 7th, 2001, the Taliban surrender their final territory and the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan has come to an end. The people of Afghanistan were consistently in war when the Taliban held power so by the end of 2001, they are free from the military based group. Before the New Year, Hamid Karzi, a royalist and ethnic Pashtun, became leader of the interim government in Afghanistan.

In 1986, Dr. Mohammad Najibullah had been elected president of the Soviet state. As president, Mohammad Najibullah attempted to gain support by relaxing the former president’s, Babrak Karmal, strict control. No matter what he did to try to win the sides of the Afghanistan’s, he was still widely despised. Since 1979, many Afghanistan’s continued to protest against their government. Eventually, Dr. Mohammad Najibullah was forced from office by the mujahidin rebels and mutinous groups within his own military.

In 1995, the newly formed Islamic militia, the Taliban, rise to power. They rose to power through a promise of peace to the people of Afghanistan. Exhausted by many years if drought, famine and war, many Afghanistan’s approve of the Taliban because they uphold traditional Islamic values. They seized control of Kabul, and implemented a version of militant Islam. After seizing control they banned women from working outside the home, and introduced Islamic punishments such as stoning.

In 2009, our president, Barack Obama, named Richard Holbrooke as a special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He announced a new strategy for the Afghanistan war that would dispatch more military and civilian trainers to the country, in addition to the seventeen thousand, or more, combat troops he previously ordered. The strategy also includes assistance to Pakistan in its fight against militants. After years of so called “freedom,” Afghanistan yet again is filled with military and war ready people. Afghanistan has yet to get a break and live in complete peace since 1979.

In 1989 the United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Soviet Union sign peace accords in Geneva guaranteeing Afghan independence and the withdrawal of 100,000 Soviet troops. The peace accords also guaranteed called for U.S. and Soviet noninterference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the right of refugees to return to Afghanistan without fear of persecution or harassment. Although this gave Afghanistan’s the freedom they wanted, the mujahidin still refused to accept the terms of the accords.