Background:
Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil
unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw
10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and
trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
mines.