The War against Terrorism and the Middle-East Coalition

In retrospect, the American military operation in Afghanistan appears to have been the easier and swifter part of the War on Terror. Preliminary delays and doubts notwithstanding, the Taliban regime collapsed relatively quickly and Al-Qa’ida’s organization in Afghanistan is in the process of disintegration. US losses were limited, and so far the US has avoided entanglements on the ground or a loss of control over the situation. At the same time, the campaign has not posed a political challenge to the Bush Administration, and may ultimately lead to a moderate, stable leadership taking the reins in Afghanistan. Furthermore, despite early apprehensions, (particularly concerning Pakistan) sympathy towards Bin Laden has not translated, thus far, into mass uprisings in the various Muslim states. The initial agitation in the streets faded within a few days, and no large scale terrorist acts have been perpetrated against American targets.