Operation Enduring Freedom
"Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF) is the U.S. Government’s official name for the War in Afghanistan, together with three smaller military actions under the umbrella of the Global War on Terror. Originally called "Operation Infinite Justice,” this phrase had previously been restricted to the description of God (among followers of several faiths), and it is believed to have been changed to avoid offense to Muslims.
Operation Enduring Freedom comprises several subordinate operations:
1. Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A)
2. Operation Enduring Freedom - Phillipines (OEF-P)
3. Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA)
4) Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara (OEF-TS)
Other operations, such as the Georgia Train and Equip Program, are only loosely connected to OEF. The similarity among the operations is its focus on counterrorism activities.
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan is a joint U.S., UK and Afghan operation and separate from the International Security Assistance Force--an operation of NATO nations including the USA and UK. While the two operations run separately yet parallel, the original intent was that they merge. To date, the merge has not taken place.
Initially, the military objectives of OEF-A outlined by Former President George W. Bush included the destruction of terrorist training camps and infrastructure within Afghanistan, the capture of al-Qaeda leaders, and the cessation of terrorist activities in Afghanistan."
The War in Afghanistan continues and began as Operation Enduring Freedom, which was launched along with the British military in response to terrorist attacks on the United States on September 22, 2001. Since 2002, the United Kingdom has led its own military operation, Operation Herrick, as part of the same war in Afghanistan.
Phase 1
Resulting from the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the safe haven to Al-Qaeda and its use of the Afghan territory as a base of operations for terrorist activities. The goal of the invasion was to find Osama bin Laden and other high-ranking Al-Qaeda members in an effort to disband and destroy the Al-Qaeda organization and remove the Taliban from power.By removing the Taliban regime, Al-Qaeda would no longer have a safe harbor. During this phase, the Bush Administration stated that there would be no distinction between terrorist organizations and nations or governments that harbored them. The United Nations did not authorize the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.
On October 7, 2001, a mix of strikes from land-based bombers, carrier-based fighters, and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from both U.S. and British ships and submarines signaled the start of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A).
In that first phase, U.S. and coalition forces, worked with the Afghan opposition forces of the Northern Alliance to oust the Taliban. During the following Karzai administration, the character of the war shifted to an effort aimed at smothering insurgency, in which the insurgents preferred not to directly confront the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops, but to blend into the local population. The insurgents’ choice of attack consists mainly of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombings. The ISAF, established by the UN Security Council at the end of December 2001 was intended to secure Kabul and the surrounding areas. NATO assumed control of ISAF in 2003.
Phase 2
The US and UK led the aerial bombing, in support of ground forces supplied primarily by the Afghan Northern Alliance. In 2002,American, British, and Canadian infantry were committed, along with special forces from several allied nations, including Australia. Later, NATO troops were added.
In January 2002, over 1,200 soldiers from the United States Special Operation Command Pacific (SOCPAC) deployed to support the Armed Forces of the Phillipines in their push to uproot the terrorist forces on the island of Basilan, including the forces of Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah. U.S. Soldiers were sent there to assist in the training of the AFP in counter-terrorist operations as well as supporting the local people with humanitarian aid.
Similar to OEF-P, a second operation in October 2002 was launched to provide humanitarian aid and patrol the Horn of Africa to reduce the abilities of terrorist organizations in the region. Again, humanitarian aid was a central focus to prevent terrorist organizations from being able to take hold of the population as well as reemerge after being removed. Soon after, the Combined Task Force 150 and United States military Special Forces established themselves in Djibouti at Campl Le Monier to search and board ships entering the region for illegal cargo. In addition, forces were sent to provide training and equipment to the armed forces in the region. This time, humanitarian efforts included building schools, clinics and water wells to enforce the confidence of the local people.
The initial attack removed the Taliban from power, but Taliban forces have since regained some strength. Since 2006, Afghanistan has seen threats to its stability from increased Taliban-led insurgent activity, record-high levels of illegal drug production, and a fragile government with limited control outside of Kabul.
The Current War on Terror in Afghanistan
By the end of 2008, the Taliban had severed any remaining ties with al-Qaeda. According to senior U.S. military intelligence officials, there are perhaps fewer than 100 members of Al-Qaeda remaining in Afghanistan. The Taliban can sustain itself indefinitely, according to a December 2009 briefing by the top U.S. intelligence officer in Afghanistan.
On December 1, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that he would escalate U.S. military involvement by deploying an additional 30,000 soldiers over a period of six months. He also proposed to begin troop withdrawals 18 months from that date. The following day, the American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, cautioned that the timeline was flexible and “is not an absolute. ” When asked by a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee if it is possible that no soldiers would be withdrawn in July 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates responded, "The president, as commander in chief, always has the option to adjust his decisions."
By July 23, 2009, International Security Assistance Force had around 64,500 troops from 42 countries, with NATO members providing the core of the force. The NATO commitment is particularly important to the United States because it gives international legitimacy to the war. The United States has approximately 29,950 troops in ISAF.
On January 26, 2010, at the International Conference on Afghanistan in London which brought together some 70 countries and organizations, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told world leaders that he intends to reach out to the top echelons of the Taliban within a few weeks with a peace initiative. Karzai set the framework for dialogue with Taliban leaders when he called on the group's leadership to take part in a "loya jirga"—or large assembly of elders—to initiate peace talks.
The operation continues, with military direction mostly coming from United States Central Command. The War in Afghanistan has evolved from a violent struggle against Al-Qaeda and its Taliban supporters to a complex countersurgency effort. Since 2001, the cumulative expenditure by the U.S. government on Operation Enduring Freedom has exceeded $150 Billion.
REFERENCES
Operation Enduring Freedom comprises several subordinate operations:
1. Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A)
2. Operation Enduring Freedom - Phillipines (OEF-P)
3. Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA)
4) Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara (OEF-TS)
Other operations, such as the Georgia Train and Equip Program, are only loosely connected to OEF. The similarity among the operations is its focus on counterrorism activities.
Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan is a joint U.S., UK and Afghan operation and separate from the International Security Assistance Force--an operation of NATO nations including the USA and UK. While the two operations run separately yet parallel, the original intent was that they merge. To date, the merge has not taken place.
Initially, the military objectives of OEF-A outlined by Former President George W. Bush included the destruction of terrorist training camps and infrastructure within Afghanistan, the capture of al-Qaeda leaders, and the cessation of terrorist activities in Afghanistan."
The War in Afghanistan continues and began as Operation Enduring Freedom, which was launched along with the British military in response to terrorist attacks on the United States on September 22, 2001. Since 2002, the United Kingdom has led its own military operation, Operation Herrick, as part of the same war in Afghanistan.
Phase 1
Resulting from the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the safe haven to Al-Qaeda and its use of the Afghan territory as a base of operations for terrorist activities. The goal of the invasion was to find Osama bin Laden and other high-ranking Al-Qaeda members in an effort to disband and destroy the Al-Qaeda organization and remove the Taliban from power.By removing the Taliban regime, Al-Qaeda would no longer have a safe harbor. During this phase, the Bush Administration stated that there would be no distinction between terrorist organizations and nations or governments that harbored them. The United Nations did not authorize the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.
On October 7, 2001, a mix of strikes from land-based bombers, carrier-based fighters, and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from both U.S. and British ships and submarines signaled the start of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A).
In that first phase, U.S. and coalition forces, worked with the Afghan opposition forces of the Northern Alliance to oust the Taliban. During the following Karzai administration, the character of the war shifted to an effort aimed at smothering insurgency, in which the insurgents preferred not to directly confront the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops, but to blend into the local population. The insurgents’ choice of attack consists mainly of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide bombings. The ISAF, established by the UN Security Council at the end of December 2001 was intended to secure Kabul and the surrounding areas. NATO assumed control of ISAF in 2003.
Phase 2
The US and UK led the aerial bombing, in support of ground forces supplied primarily by the Afghan Northern Alliance. In 2002,American, British, and Canadian infantry were committed, along with special forces from several allied nations, including Australia. Later, NATO troops were added.
In January 2002, over 1,200 soldiers from the United States Special Operation Command Pacific (SOCPAC) deployed to support the Armed Forces of the Phillipines in their push to uproot the terrorist forces on the island of Basilan, including the forces of Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah. U.S. Soldiers were sent there to assist in the training of the AFP in counter-terrorist operations as well as supporting the local people with humanitarian aid.
Similar to OEF-P, a second operation in October 2002 was launched to provide humanitarian aid and patrol the Horn of Africa to reduce the abilities of terrorist organizations in the region. Again, humanitarian aid was a central focus to prevent terrorist organizations from being able to take hold of the population as well as reemerge after being removed. Soon after, the Combined Task Force 150 and United States military Special Forces established themselves in Djibouti at Campl Le Monier to search and board ships entering the region for illegal cargo. In addition, forces were sent to provide training and equipment to the armed forces in the region. This time, humanitarian efforts included building schools, clinics and water wells to enforce the confidence of the local people.
The initial attack removed the Taliban from power, but Taliban forces have since regained some strength. Since 2006, Afghanistan has seen threats to its stability from increased Taliban-led insurgent activity, record-high levels of illegal drug production, and a fragile government with limited control outside of Kabul.
The Current War on Terror in Afghanistan
By the end of 2008, the Taliban had severed any remaining ties with al-Qaeda. According to senior U.S. military intelligence officials, there are perhaps fewer than 100 members of Al-Qaeda remaining in Afghanistan. The Taliban can sustain itself indefinitely, according to a December 2009 briefing by the top U.S. intelligence officer in Afghanistan.
On December 1, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that he would escalate U.S. military involvement by deploying an additional 30,000 soldiers over a period of six months. He also proposed to begin troop withdrawals 18 months from that date. The following day, the American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, cautioned that the timeline was flexible and “is not an absolute. ” When asked by a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee if it is possible that no soldiers would be withdrawn in July 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates responded, "The president, as commander in chief, always has the option to adjust his decisions."
By July 23, 2009, International Security Assistance Force had around 64,500 troops from 42 countries, with NATO members providing the core of the force. The NATO commitment is particularly important to the United States because it gives international legitimacy to the war. The United States has approximately 29,950 troops in ISAF.
On January 26, 2010, at the International Conference on Afghanistan in London which brought together some 70 countries and organizations, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told world leaders that he intends to reach out to the top echelons of the Taliban within a few weeks with a peace initiative. Karzai set the framework for dialogue with Taliban leaders when he called on the group's leadership to take part in a "loya jirga"—or large assembly of elders—to initiate peace talks.
The operation continues, with military direction mostly coming from United States Central Command. The War in Afghanistan has evolved from a violent struggle against Al-Qaeda and its Taliban supporters to a complex countersurgency effort. Since 2001, the cumulative expenditure by the U.S. government on Operation Enduring Freedom has exceeded $150 Billion.
REFERENCES
- http://www.icasualties.org/OEF/index.aspx
- http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf
- http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/DoctrineOperationsandDiplomacyPublications/OperationsInAfghanistan/OpHerrickCasualtyAndFatalityTables.htm
- http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2694A118-83DE-4A91-A341-0B08BED4DC82/0/opherrickcasualtytablesto31march2010.pdf
- "Attack and Aftermath: a glossary of terms, in". Guardian Unlimited. 2001-09-27. http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,,559312,00.html.
- "Infinite Justice, out - Enduring Freedom, in". BBC News. 2001-09-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1563722.stm.
- "EUCOM: Operations and Initiatives". EUCOM. http://www.eucom.mil/english/Operations/main.asp.
- "Helping Georgia?". Boston University Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology and Policy. March–April 2002. http://www.bu.edu/iscip/vol12/areshidze.html.
- "Text: Bush Announces Start of a "War on Terror"". globalsecurity.org. 2001-09-20. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2001/09/mil-010920-usia01.htm.
- "Text: President Bush Announces Military Strikes in Afghanistan". globalsecurity.org. 2001-10-07. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2001/10/mil-011007-usia01.htm.
- "Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan". globalsecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/enduring-freedom.htm.
- Fargo, ADM Tom (2003-02-10). "PASOC 2003 Conference - Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort". Speeches and Transcripts. U.S. Pacific Command.
- http://131.84.1.218/speeches/sst2003/030210pasoc.shtml.
- Wikipedia.com
- CBCnews.com
- j-n-v.org
- CNN archives
- The Guardian (UK)