Question

What is the main reason the United States removed the Taliban from power shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks?

Answer 1

The United States invasion of Afghanistan occurred after the September 11 attacks in late 2001, supported by close US allies. The conflict is also known as the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Its public aims were to dismantle al-Qaeda, and to deny it a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by removing the Taliban from power.

Answer 2

The war in Afghanistan was a war that faced in principle the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ruled by the Taliban and once overthrown, its insurgency, on the one hand, and an international coalition commanded by the United States.

The invasion was unleashed in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, of which this country blamed Osama bin Laden. To begin the invasion, the United States relied on a peculiar interpretation of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, on the right to self-defense.

The declared objective of the invasion was to find Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders to bring them to trial, and to overthrow the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ruled by the Emir Mullah Omar, who in the opinion of the Western powers supported and gave refuge and coverage of Al Qaeda members.