28 December 2001 A.D. 26th MEU—U.S. Marines Secure and
Command Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan: OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
Editors. “Missions:
2001: Operation Enduring Freedom.” Marines.com.
N.d. http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/search-results. Accessed
27 Dec 2014.
Afghanistan
After
the attack on our nation on September 11, 2001, the entire American military
focused its might on defeating Al-Qaeda. Two months later, Marines were the
first major ground forces in Afghanistan. In mid-December, 2001, Marines from the 26th
Marine Expeditionary Unit captured Kandahar Airport and converted it into one
of the first coalition command centers in the country.
Since
the initial invasion, much progress has been made. The threat of violence has
been greatly reduced, hundreds of schools have been constructed and millions in
aid have been distributed. In October of 2004, Afghanistan held its first
direct elections, and one year later, they conducted the first Afghan
parliamentary election.
At
the start of 2010, Marines lead Operation Moshtarak, the largest military
operation since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan and reclaimed cities
across southern Afghanistan, including the Taliban stronghold of Marjah. The
War in Afghanistan officially became the longest war in U.S. history in June of
2010. Marines continue to fight the Taliban and train Afghan soldiers to
eventually shoulder the burden of Afghanistan's national security.
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