War on Terror: The Brief Explanation

War on Terror: The Brief Explanation

The explanation of the term of ‘War on Terror’ is commonly defined as a basic concept that rules either military or political efforts and actions that are carried out to wage war against every form of terrorism activity. The use of the phrase, especially referenced as an international military campaign against terrorism as the impact of the sad tragedy of September 11st 2001 when the huge twin towers, World Trade Center (WTC) and Pentagon were crashed and devastated by commercial planes that is accused to be hijacked by certain group of terrorist. This tragedy resulted about 3.000 of casualties.

 ‘War on Terror’ was firstly used by the former United States President, George W. Bush, in his speech regarding the 9/11 tragedy. On September 20th, Bush, in a televised congress joint- session, stated,” Our ‘War on Terror’ begins with al- Qaeda, but it does not end here. It will not end until every terrorists group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated.” In the statement, Bush condemned and declared a war to every militant terrorist group, particularly al- Qaeda with its Osama Bin Laden as the main leader.

In those each and every impounding efforts done, many countries took roles in it, included the country members of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). For the first time of NATO’s history, the Allies invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, about the Alliance’s collective defense clause. The article 5 of Washington Treaty says:

“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area...”

Based on that article of treaty, The North Atlantic Council- NATO’s principal political decision agreed that if the attack had been directed from abroad against United States, it would be deemed as an action covered by, thus states that an armed attack against one or more of the Allies in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.  It is also the way NATO shows its solidarity among the partner countries.

Following the investigation result on the 9/11 tragedy attack of terrorism, Frank Taylor,  US Ambassador Large and Coordinator for Counter- Terrorism, related to The North Atlantic Council that the attack was  proven to be directed from abroad and collided with the content of Article 5 of Washington Treaty.  Rest on the statement, NATO, as an international security organization, was officially involved  in this common term of ‘War on Terror’.

On October 4th 2001, NATO agreed the eight measures in supporting United States, they are:

o    to enhance intelligence sharing and cooperation, both bilaterally and in appropriate NATO bodies, relating to the threats posed by terrorism and the actions to be taken against it;

o    to provide, individually or collectively, as appropriate and according to their capabilities, assistance to Allies and other states which were or may be subject to increased terrorist threats as a result of their support for the campaign against terrorism;

o    to take necessary measures to provide increased security for facilities of the United States and other Allies on their territory;

o    to backfill selected Allied assets in NATO’s area of responsibility that were required to directly support operations against terrorism;

o    to provide blanket overflight clearances for the United States and other Allies’ aircraft, in accordance with the necessary air traffic arrangements and national procedures, for military flights related to operations against terrorism;

o    to provide access for the United States and other Allies to ports and airfields on the territory of NATO nations for operations against terrorism, including for refuelling, in accordance with national procedures;

o    that the Alliance was ready to deploy elements of its Standing Naval Forces to the Eastern Mediterranean in order to provide a NATO presence and demonstrate resolve; and

o    that the Alliance was similarly ready to deploy elements of its NATO Airborne Early Warning Force to support operations against terrorism.

Shortly after that, NATO launched its first operation regarding the war against terrorism- Operation Eagle Assist. There were 13 NATO countries took roles by deploying  troops, attaining 830 members flew more than 360 sorties. Seven NATO AWACS radar aircraft were sent to help patrol the skies over United States from mid- October to mid- May 2002. This was the first time NATO military assets were mobilized to cover the article 5 operation.

Afterwards, NATO launched the second operation- Operation Active Endeavour (OAE)- a maritime surveillance operation to detect, deter, and protect against terrorist activity. This campaign sent Elements of NATO’s s Standing Naval Forces to monitor the eastern Mediterranian and eye the shipping traffic to retain from any terrorism, including ilegal trafficking. On March 10 March 2003, NATO expanded the operation to include escorting civilian shipping through the Strait of Gibraltar.

On December 2001, International Security Assitantce Force (ISAF) or often called Coalition Force was originally established. This force was NATO-led security mission formed by United Nation Secutiry Council (UNSC) which the objective is to train, drill, and prepare the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key government institutions. The body also built cooperation with the transitional Afghanistan government dictated by Hamid Karzai in the effort to eradicate the radical movement of Taliban and Al Qaeda.

And, the military operation that is still on duty in the campaign from the administration of Bush until this second is Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The main objective purpose is to seek, demolish, and eradicate  the accused militant extremist groups of being the mastermind behind all terrorist activities, particularly Al Qaeda. And, the prominent dastination of OEF is Afghanistan. This operation included three additions of  minor military actions in Phillipine, Horn of Africa, and Trans Sahara.

On the few days after the 9/11 tragedy, George W. Bush accused and sued the Taliban in Afghanistan to hand Osama bin Laden and other leaders that were implicated as well. But, Taliban defied the ultimatum and back asked for the evidences of the accusation. Later known, The United States denied to  give the proofs.

Subsequently, in October 2001, US forces (with UK and coalition) did invasion to oust the Taliban regime. On 7 October 2001, the combined British and US forces started to gain more invasion by conducting airstrike campaigns over enemy targets. The capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, fell by mid- November. The rest of Al Qaeda and Taliban fell back to mountains of eastern Afghanistan, mainly Tora Bora. The battle continued with the Coalition Forces (US and the allies) attacked the territory and the leader, Osama bin Laden was believed that he escaped to Pakistan during the aggression.

In March 2002, another operation called Operation Anaconda that was executed by the NATO  and Non- NATO countries succeeded in bringing disorder to the Taliban and Al Qaeda and made them evacuated. In the late of 2002, happened the battle between the regrouped Taliban against Coalition Forces that later made more coalition troops  deployed in Afghanistan.

Another military action named Operation Moshtarak was launched by the Coalition Forces in February 2011 to eradicate Taliban from the roots. Later, in May 2011, there was a news spread that Osama bin Laden had been successfully killed in a secret operation of the United States’ Navy Seal. The body of Osama was flown and drowned to certain sea based on the public information given.

After many operations and military actions, US and NATO then tried in few diplomatic efforts. The agreement between US and the sovereign Afghanistan government finally reached the result that US will withdraw their troops out from Afghanistan in 2014 in case to eradicate the militant groups and Al Qaeda together. But, the agreement did not tie and concern about the number of the troops of both US and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan until the dealt 2014. And, the aid to Afghanistan government regarding the internal security will be executed by after 2014.