United States of America was dragged into a war and invasion in Afghanistan in response to the attacks conducted against the World Trade Center (Mepham and Cooper, p. 56). It has been over twelve years now and the war is far from over. There are multiple dimensions to the analysis of the war. These dimensions range from analysis of the success met, to the economic costs incurred, the loss of human life on civilian front, and also the military casualties suffered.
Over fifty thousand troops were originally stationed in Afghanistan and with time they have seen phase wise withdraw. Into its 12th year, the Afghanistan war is one of most prolonged war that Americans have seen in its history across the ocean (Clarke).
The number of casualties suffered on military front amount to 2150 since the initiation of the war. The number of military men that have suffered different forms of injuries amount to nearly nineteen thousand. With 2010 standing as one of the most deadly year on account of the casualties suffered (Martel, p.297). The war has led to organization of rebel groups and other factions’ establishment in Afghanistan. As a result of this, United States of America does not only fight and confront the declared front line Taliban groups (Berman, Eli, et al, p. 496), but other covert units as well. Overall, it has been one expensive affair.
References:
Berman, Eli, et al. "Do working men rebel? Insurgency and unemployment in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Philippines." Journal of Conflict Resolution 55.4 (2011): 496-528.
Clarke, Richard A. Against all enemies: Inside America's war on terror. Simon and Schuster, 2004.
Dupree, Nancy Hatch. "Cultural heritage and national identity in Afghanistan."Third World Quarterly 23.5 (2002): 977-989
Gawande, Atul. "Casualties of war—military care for the wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan." New England Journal of Medicine 351.24 (2004): 2471-2475.
Hodes, Cyrus and Mark Sedra. The Search for Security in Post-Taliban Afghanistan. Routledge, 2013.Press.
Martel, William C. Victory in War: Foundations of Modern Strategy. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Mepham, David and Jane Cooper. Human Rights and Global Responsibility: An International Agenda for the UK. Institute for Public Policy Research, 2004.
