Download OSAMA BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA

OSAMA BIN LADEN AND
AL QAEDA
BACKGROUND
Cold War kept terrorism under control
1991 USSR collapses
USSR/Russia no longer supports many
countries
Many “freedom fighters” still well armed
Afghanistan
• USSR Invades in 1979
• Many Muslim see fighting Soviets as holy war
• Osama Bin Laden 1957-2011
Wealthy Saudi
Father started construction business
Uses wealth to fight Soviets in Afghanistan
Creates Al Qaeda (The base)
Seen as a hero in Muslim world
Gulf War
• Iraq invades Kuwait 1990—threatens
Saudi Arabia
• Osama Bin Laden offers to protect SA with
Al Qaeda
• SA invited 200,000 American troops
instead
• After Gulf War troops remain in SA
Fatwah
• Osama Bin Laden declares a holy war
against U.S. 1996
Non-Muslim troops in SA
Sanctions/bombing of Iraq
Crimes against Islam
Duty of Muslims to attack U.S.
Al Qaeda attacks
1998
U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
bombed
212 killed
2000
USS Cole attacked in Yemen. 17
Americans killed
9/11
• 19 Al Qaeda operatives hi-jack 4 U.S.
planes.
• 2 planes fly into the World Trade Center
Fires lead to structural damage that
causes them to collapse
1 plane flies into Pentagon (Military
headquarters) in Washington DC
1 plane crashes after passengers fight hijackers.
RESULTS
Nearly 3,000 killed. Over 2,700 in Twin
Towers.
U.S. accuses Taliban government in
Afghanistan of helping Al Qaeda
U.S. and other western countries invade
Afghanistan in October to remove Taliban,
and capture Osama Bin Laden.
2001-Today
U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan
supporting President Karzai, and his
government.
Taliban has returned and controls parts of
the country
Iraq
• 2003-Today
– U.S. invasion topples Saddam Hussein
– All Baath party leaders removed from power
– Insurgency spreads—violence increases
– 2006 U.S. increases troop numbers
– 2009 U.S. begins to pull troops out
– 2010 Iraq elects first democratic government