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In this
al-Qaida video captured in Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden boasts
of the destruction caused by terrorist suicide teams who crashed
four hijacked U.S. airliners into the World Trade Center’s
twin towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and
a field in Pennsylvania, killing almost 3,000 American and foreign
men, women and children.
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An international
coalition of ground, air and naval forces gathered in the Arabian
Sea and in neighboring countries to support Operation ENDURING
FREEDOM. In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the Expeditionary Commander,
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Chris Kelly (right), and the Deputy Commander,
French Air Force Col. Saster Kochanowski (left), greet the head
of French operations, General of Division Jean-Patrick Gaviard
(center), while Kyrgyzstani officers look on.
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The Japan
Maritime Self-Defense Force provided three destroyers and two
supply ships to the international naval coalition. Here, the
JDS Hamana (AOE 424) (left) conducts a replenishment at sea
in support of the U.S. naval task groups operating against terrorist
bases in Afghanistan.
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| India
has provided overflight and port rights to U.S. aircraft and warships
for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Here, Indian Defence Secretary
Yogendra Narain is briefed by the commander of the carrier USS
Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Capt. Richard Wren, during the secretary’s
visit to the Vinson. |
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Osama
bin Laden built an international terrorist organization based
in Afghanistan, with branches in countries throughout the world.
He declared his mission is to kill Americans and those leaders
of Islamic nations he considered un-Islamic.
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U.S.
Marines of the 15th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units (Special
Operations Capable) were the first major U.S. ground forces
to deploy to Afghanistan. Here they secure a captured base in
southern Afghanistan.
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| Two
U.S. Naval Special Warfare craft cover the stern of a ship interdicted
in the North Arabian Sea, while other personnel board and check
the vessel for any indications of assistance to fleeing terrorists. |
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| One
of several al-Qaida tunnels hidden under adobe buildings near
Kandahar is wired for destruction by a U.S. Marine Combat Engineer. |
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Members
of the multinational military coalition inspect one of many
caves used by al-Qaida and Taliban forces.
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A U.S.
soldier of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) mans a
.50-caliber machine gun during Operation ANACONDA combat in
the Shah-e-kot mountains in eastern Afghanistan.
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The
terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 galvanized the American people
to fight terrorism no matter where and no matter how long.It made
the war on terrorism and homeland defense a new focus of the U.S.
Armed Forces. Here, U.S. Army Special Forces train in urban combat.
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A Japan Air
Self-Defense Force C-130H unloads Japanese-donated relief materials
in Pakistan for Afghani refugees.
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| The
Republic of Korea Navy LST Hyang Ro Bong ties up at Diego Garcia to
support logistics operations for Afghanistan. |
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| Australia
has committed Special Air Service troops, naval ships, and Royal Australian
Air Force airlift, air refueling, and fighter aircraft to coalition
operations. Here, the frigate HMAS Sydney (on the right) replaces
HMAS Anzac during a handover in the Arabian Gulf. |
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A Royal Australian
Air Force F/A-18 operates out of Diego Garcia to protect coalition
forces basing out of the British territory in the Indian Ocean.
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| The
Australian frigate HMAS Anzac (FF 150) moves into position to board
a ship in the Persian Gulf that might be carrying al-Qaida and Taliban
members trying to escape. |
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| Republic
of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) C-130s have airlifted 45 tons of humanitarian
relief supplies from Seoul to Diego Garcia and to Islamabad, Pakistan,
while a navy vessel has transported more than 500 tons of critical
construction materials from Singapore to Diego Garcia. Here, a British
customs officer on Diego Garcia briefs arriving ROKAF crews. |
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A U .S. Air
Force Predator unmanned reconnaissance aircraft is prepared for
a mission over enemy areas.
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| U.S.
Marines raise Afghan and U.S. flags over Kandahar Airport. |
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Australian
Special Air Service soldiers operate in Southern Afghanistan. (Faces
of these Special Operations troops are blurred so that their identities
are not compromised).
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| A
multinational International Security Assistance Force was established
to assist the new Afghan government in maintaining security and order
in Kabul following the city’s liberation from the Taliban regime.
Here, German Army Brig. Gen. Carl H. von Butler coordinates peacekeeping
operations with a senior government security official. |
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