Operation infinite reach was the codename for american cruise missile strikes on alqaeda bases in khost, afghanistan, and the alshifa pharmaceutical factory in khartoum, sudan, on august 20, 1998. Prior to the missile strike, mullah muhammad omar, leader of the. President clinton described the missile strikes as acts of selfdefense and of retribution for the bombings of the embassies in kenya and tanzania. In a handwritten note to his national security adviser. Shortly after an august 1998 us missile strike on afghanistan see august 20, 1998, bin laden stops using his satellite phone, correctly deciding that it was being monitored by us intelligence see late august 1998. Oct 02, 2001 in 1998, america destroyed osama bin ladens chemical weapons factory in sudan.
Operation infinite reach was the first time the united states acknowledged. In 1999, the united nations security council imposed sanctions on the taliban, calling for bin laden to be surrendered. Clarke hoped the august 1998 missile strikes would mark the beginning of a. From february to june 1998, al qaeda prepared to launch their attacks, renting residences, building their bombs, and acquiring trucks. Last august 20, we struck with missiles two islamic statesone totally failed state, afghanistan, and a nearly failed state, the. Cruise missile strikes on afghanistan and sudan august. Jul 14, 2004 after the 1998 missile strikes against alqaida, a source told the washington times that intelligence officials were monitoring alqaidas phone calls. So how did the attack affect this warravaged nation.
After the august 1998 us embassy bombings were linked to bin laden, president bill clinton ordered missile strikes on militant training camps in afghanistan. Us and britain begin attacks on taliban world news the. Jun 07, 2010 the august 1998 bombings of afghanistan and sudan codenamed operation infinite reach by the united states were american cruise missile strikes on terrorist bases in afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in sudan on august 20, 1998. The southern city of kandahar was the epicenter of taliban power in afghanistan. Special forces joined with fighters in the antitaliban northern alliance. Bill clinton doubted cias intelligence on osama bin laden after his own 1998 wag the dog cruise missile strikes in afghanistan and sudan. The al qaeda leader osama bin laden, killed in pakistan by u. The pentagon briefed president clinton about these plans on august 12 and 14. Edt 0910 gmt washington cnn american cruise missiles pounded sites in afghanistan and sudan thursday in retaliation for the deadly bombings of u. This strikeslip shock left 2,323 dead and 818 injured in the takhar province. Twenty years ago, on august 7, 1998, osama bin ladens al qaeda. Sep 11, 2004 washington, september 11, 2004 mullah omar, the talibans supreme leader, initiated a phone call to washington his only known direct contact with u. A chronology of key events in the history of afghanistan, from the mid1800s to the present day.
The official american explanation for last weeks missile strikes against targets in sudan and afghanistan has begun to crumble, with widespread reports in the international press challenging the. Bill clinton and the missed opportunities to kill osama bin. September 11 and the war on terror humanities libertexts. Cruise missile strikes in afghanistan and sudan asil. National commission on terrorist attacks upon the united states public. In 1998, the clinton administration in conjunction with the united kingdom, conducted. If you would like to ask me any questions, or join our veteran community on twitch, i stream live monfri at youll.
The august 20, 1998, retaliatory cruise missile strikes did little to help solve the. Bin laden, and offering its airbases for strikes against afghanistan. The strikes purpose was to kill bin laden and his chief lieutenants, the 911 commission report states. Sep 09, 2019 a chronology of key events in the history of afghanistan, from the mid1800s to the present day. On august 11, general zinni received orders to prepare detailed plans for strikes against the sites in afghanistan. In retaliation against the al qaeda bombings of us embassies in kenya and tanzania in august 1998, president bill clinton ordered cruise missile strikes against terrorist training camps in. From february to june 1998, alqaeda prepared to launch their attacks, renting residences, building their bombs, and acquiring trucks. As charles kurzman showed in his book the missing martyrs, after. Clinton had launched cruise missile strikes into iraq. Afgahanistans islamic rulers, reported 21 were killed and 30 were injured in the missile strikes in eastern afghanistan. Pakistans bin laden policy george washington university. The story of americas first drone strike in afghanistan. What are the real reasons for the us missile strikes. The document amounted to a declaration of war and formally united a halfdozen different militant groups in afghanistan in opposition to america.
Feb 16, 2016 on august 11, general zinni received orders to prepare detailed plans for strikes against the sites in afghanistan. Apr 09, 2017 unfortunately, while the cruise missile strikes may make american officials and policymakers feel better about having sent a message that assad will pay a price, the effects will be. Oct 20, 2019 air and missile strikes hit targets across afghanistan. Us launch cruise missile strikes against alqaida training camps in afghanistan. After this victory centgas unocal immediately announced that it was ready to proceed. By editorial board 26 august 1998 the official american explanation for last weeks missile strikes. Post journalist bob woodwards recently published book, plan of attack, however, highlights.
With the ongoing wars in iraq and afghanistan, coupled with the. Taliban leader mullah omar once coldcalled the state. The governments response to the attacks was therefore limited to a terribly counterproductive set of cruise missile strikes, ironically dubbed operation infinite reach, launched against targets in sudan and afghanistan on august 20. Cruise missile strikes on afghanistan and sudan august 1998. In 1998, america destroyed osama bin ladens chemical weapons factory in sudan.
The risk of future attacks by osama bin laden or his associates using weapons of mass destruction wmds is not insignificant. The 1998 bombing of iraq codenamed operation desert fox was a major fourday bombing campaign on iraqi targets from 16 to 19 december 1998, by the united states and the united kingdom. National security archive electronic briefing book no. Navy, were ordered by president bill clinton in retaliation for alqaedas august 7 bombings of american embassies in kenya and tanzania, which killed 224 people and injured over 4,000 others. When bin ladin moved to afghanistan in may 1996, he became a subject. Nerve gas factory claim exposed as hoax what are the real reasons for the us missile strikes. After the 1998 missile strikes against alqaida, a source told the washington times that intelligence officials were monitoring alqaidas phone calls. The radio signal kept rising and falling, losing strength and gaining it again. He has been critical of the missile strikes against bin laden. Bill clinton doubted cias osama bin laden intel after his. Oct 06, 2001 us and britain begin attacks on taliban. Terrorist base camps evacuated after embassy bombings. Cruise missile strikes on afghanistan and sudan august 1998 the august 1998 bombings of afghanistan and sudan codenamed operation infinite reach were american cruise missile strikes on alqaeda bases in afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in sudan on august 20, 1998. He has written a book and several articles on united nations law, and is a.
United states president bill clinton signed an executive order freezing the accounts of osama bin laden. The contemporaneous justification for the strikes was iraqs failure to comply with united nations security council resolutions and its interference with united nations special commission inspectors. Mullah omar called washington in 1998, new documents show. Bill clinton and the missed opportunities to kill osama. The august 1998 bombings of afghanistan and sudan codenamed operation infinite reach by the united states were american cruise missile strikes on terrorist bases in afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in sudan on august 20, 1998. Us officials pressed the taliban to surrender bin laden. An analysis of the united states use of military force. If you would like to ask me any questions, or join our veteran community on twitch, i stream live monfri at youll find that most people. According to counterterrorism expert rohan gunaratna, alqaeda quickly developed a system to deceive those monitoring his calls. Jul 29, 2015 in retaliation against the al qaeda bombings of us embassies in kenya and tanzania in august 1998, president bill clinton ordered cruise missile strikes against terrorist training camps in.
Mindful of these risks, this paper examines the utility of using military force against terrorism based on an analysis of three case studies. Apollo 50, our hardcover book about the 50th anniversary of the apollo 11 moon landing, has been released. Clinton had launched cruisemissile strikes into iraq. Operation infinite reach was the codename for american cruise missile strikes on alqaeda bases in khost, afghanistan. Bin laden and alqaeda operatives retreated into the rugged mountains along the border of pakistan in eastern afghanistan. Though novel for its open endorsement of indiscriminate killing, bin. The flash insight on cruise missile strikes in afghanistan and sudan reported the assertions of the united states government as well as a statement by sudanese officials, not as an endorsement of any position, but as a necessary basis for framing the legal issues. Alqaeda has been at war with the united states for twenty years. Sep 10, 2016 clinton approved cruise missile strikes on afghanistan and a compound in sudan the u. On august 20, american cruise missiles struck targets in afghanistan and sudan. The united states carried out preemptive missile attacks in eastern afghanistan on suspected terrorist training camps allegedly run by saudi dissident osama bin laden. On august 20, 1998 the united states launched retaliatory and preemptive missile strikes against training bases and infrastructure in afghanistan used by groups affiliated with radical extremist and terrorist financier usama bin laden.
The august 1998 bombings of afghanistan and sudan codenamed operation infinite reach were american cruise missile strikes on terrorist bases in afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in sudan on august 20, 1998. The august 20, 1998, retaliatory cruise missile strikes did little to help solve the problem posed by bin laden and may ultimately prove to have done more harm than good. Cruise missiles strike sudan and afghan targets tied. Trumps humanitarian intervention in syria is just getting. The osama bin laden file george washington university. The attack was in retaliation for the bombings of american. Cruise missiles strike sudan and afghan targets tied to terrorist network by james bennet.