The Motives of the US Invasion of Afghanistan - Term Paper Example

The motives of the United States in the invasion of Afghanistan must consider a multitude of variables. These can be reviewed into two separate levels: systemic and sub-systemic. Each of these levels must be applied to each state. To begin, attention will be addressed to the United States. On a sub-systemic level after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush demanded that Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime turn over Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization, to the United States. President George W. Bush was granted the authority by Congress to use military force. On the side of Afghanistan, the rulers of Afghanistan, known as the Taliban, had provided support to the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, which had claimed responsibility for the September 11 attacks.

The Al-Qaeda training camps and headquarters were in Afghanistan and so was Osama Bin Laden who was the creator and the leader of this terrorist organization. On a systemic level, both the post-Cold War paradigm and the Post 9/11 paradigm apply. Starting with Cold War, Afghanistan did not meet the expectation of the new world order in which states are cooperative and where democracy is the norm. Moving to the post 9/11 paradigm, a threat of terrorism, clouded domestic opinion to support a leader seeking war. Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers in New York City on September 11th, have been predicted that the United States would invade Afghanistan using a military strength against terrorism.

The US invasion of Afghanistan can be explained from different viewpoints, including political power, international peace, and economic integrations. These explanations are presented by different liberal theories presented by philosophers and political analysts about war and international terrorism. Liberals, unlike realists, attempt to explain the political forces and theories with respect to international political power struggles or the popularly referred to as inter-state political euphemism. Classical liberalists emphasized the struggle for political power and dominance and also sustainable economic dominance. The states provide public goods in the interest of the public and at the same time have multiple interests in control and power dominance.

This was the same reason why on the part of the united states federal government, headed by President George W. Bush invaded Afghanistan. Immanuel Kant, a classical liberalist, believed that international forces and the environment control the inter-state relationship and are influenced by social contracts and democratic peace. Kant also emphasized the role of international relationship IR theory and functionalism in determining the political positions of different countries. Besides, political power residence was explained by Mitrany’s functionalism theory which asserts that political optimization and short-term self-interest may weaken the collaborative and cooperative relationship at the international level. It is for these self-serving interests that the United States invaded the republic of Afghanistan. A number of theories have been advanced to explain the reasons for the successful invasion.

Defined by the United States defense department as the “unlawful use of or threatened use of force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives”, terrorism has posed a great threat to global peace and stability. The United States responded to the increasing terrorism by invading the terrorists and causing massive destruction coupled with higher economic costs associated with the war against terror. The invasion triggered military war and supremacy between the United States and Afghanistan. This was characterized by economic sanctions and international trade restrictions. From the economic theory on war, it was unwise for the Bush Administration to opt for war and invasion since this would be very costly for both nations. Read More