These Two Images Represent The Beginning And The End Of America’s War In Afghanistan

Updated Aug 31, 2021 12:28 PM EDT

The two images above aren’t separated that much in terms of where they were taken geographically, but they deviate greatly in terms of how far apart they were taken in time. They represent the operation that would send the first Americans into Afghanistan to kick off the war there, as well as the greater Global War On Terror as we now know it, and the last American soldier to step foot on Afghan soil. The first image was taken on September 19th, 2001, the other was taken today, August 30th, 2021. They are now the alpha and the omega of America’s war in Afghanistan, visually speaking.

The image taken on September 19th, 2001 shows CIA operatives aboard a Mi-17 helicopter in Uzbekistan. In the following days, the CIA would make its first clandestine flight into Afghanistan. We did two separate stories on the circumstances surrounding this historic image, which you can check out here and here , but this is our description of it, specifically:

The image shows the open rear of a Russian-built Mi-17 with heavily armed men sitting on ammunition cans in the back with just ropes tied around them to ensure they don’t fall to their death if they slip out the back during flight. The mission depicted took place on September 19th, 2001, just eight days after the attacks on 9/11. The CIA says it was to pick up $3M in cash in three cardboard boxes. That money would be used to pay the Northern Alliance to spearhead the fight against the Taliban and to buy the allegiance of local warlords.

CIA operators hang out the back of an Mi-17. The Nestle box, one of three, is full of cash., CIA

This was the beginning of America’s mission in Afghanistan. On September 26th, CIA operatives would fly into Afghanistan to make contact with tribal warlords and the leadership of the Northern Alliance , which opposed the Taliban. Millions in cash was used to buy their loyalty and jumpstart robust military operations. This operation, dubbed “Jawbreaker,” would spark what became a blitz across the country spearheaded by U.S. special operators, American airpower, and the Northern Alliance, and would bring about the Taliban’s fall from power. By November of 2001, the Taliban would be chased from Kabul. By December, they would no longer control any stronghold in the country and would subsequently morph into an enduring insurgent force.

Fast forward nearly 20 years and we have what will become the quintessential image of the war’s end . It shows the commander of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, General Christopher Donahue, stepping onto a C-17 under the cover of darkness. He had overseen the evacuation operations and was the last person aboard the last transport to leave the country at 11:59 pm on August 30th, 2021, ending the U.S. military’s presence in the war-torn country.

General Donahue was the last U.S. serviceperson out of Afghanistan., DoD

In the time between the two photos, there were incredible examples of kindness and super-human bravery, as well as inhuman cruelty and evil. The breakdown of the dead reads as such, according to a recent piece by the Associated Press :

American service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,461. U.S. contractors: 3,846. Afghan national military and police: 66,000. Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144. Afghan civilians: 47,245. Taliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191. Aid workers: 444. Journalists: 72.

American service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,461.

U.S. contractors: 3,846.

Afghan national military and police: 66,000.

Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144.

Afghan civilians: 47,245.

Taliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191.

In addition, countless people were wounded, some severely, including over 20,000 American troops. Massive amounts of treasure was spent, as well. Some estimates put the cost of America’s war in Afghanistan at $1 trillion and as high as over $2 trillion.

On behalf of our team to all of the 800,000 service people who served in Afghanistan over the years, and to those who served there in any other capacity, as well as their family members, we want to thank you for all your efforts and sacrifices. While America’s overall military mission, and the strategies that defined it, in that country will be debated for many years to come, we must remember that the homeland never received another terror attack emanating from Afghanistan. I don’t think many would have predicted that in the dark days following 9/11.

And even though the Taliban may be back in control of Afghanistan after 20 years of blood and treasure spent there, if there is one thing we should have learned over the last two decades, it is that Afghanistan’s future is anything but set in stone.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com

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更新于美国东部时间2021年8月31日下午12:28

以上两张照片在地理位置上相距不远，但在拍摄时间上却相隔甚远。它们分别代表了将第一批美军送入阿富汗、拉开阿富汗战争序幕的行动，以及我们今天所知的全球反恐战争，同时也记录了最后一位踏上阿富汗土地的美军士兵。第一张照片拍摄于2001年9月19日，第二张照片拍摄于2021年8月30日。从视觉角度来看，它们如今已成为美国阿富汗战争的始末。

这张摄于2001年9月19日的照片显示，中央情报局特工在乌兹别克斯坦的一架米-17直升机上。几天后，中央情报局将进行首次秘密飞行进入阿富汗。我们曾就这张历史性照片的来龙去脉分别撰写了两篇报道，您可以在这里和这里查看，以下是我们对照片的详细描述：

图片显示的是一架俄制米-17直升机敞开的后舱门，几名全副武装的男子坐在后舱的弹药箱上，仅用绳索捆绑，以防止他们在飞行途中从后舱滑落坠亡。图中所示的任务发生在2001年9月19日，即9·11恐怖袭击事件发生后的第八天。据中央情报局称，此次行动的目的是取回装在三个纸箱里的300万美元现金。这笔钱将用于支付北方联盟领导打击塔利班的行动，并收买当地军阀的效忠。

中央情报局特工探出一架米-17直升机的后部。雀巢巧克力盒（共三个）里装满了现金。

这标志着美国在阿富汗行动的开始。9月26日，中央情报局特工飞抵阿富汗，与部落军阀和反对塔利班的北方联盟领导层接触。美国动用数百万美元现金收买他们的忠诚，并启动了大规模的军事行动。这项代号为“碎颚行动”（Jawbreaker）的行动，引发了一场由美国特种部队、空军和北方联盟主导的席卷全国的闪电战，最终导致塔利班政权垮台。到2001年11月，塔利班被逐出喀布尔。到12月，他们已失去在阿富汗的任何据点，并逐渐演变为一支持久存在的叛乱势力。

时光荏苒，近20年后，我们看到了这张堪称战争结束标志性画面的照片。照片中，美国陆军第82空降师师长克里斯托弗·多纳休将军在夜幕的掩护下登上了一架C-17运输机。他负责指挥撤离行动，并于2021年8月30日晚11点59分，作为最后一架离开该国的运输机上的最后一人，结束了美军在这个饱受战争蹂躏的国家的驻扎。

多纳休将军是最后一位撤离阿富汗的美军军人。（美国国防部）

在这两张照片之间的这段时间里，既有令人难以置信的善良和超乎常人的勇气，也有惨无人道的残忍和邪恶。根据美联社最近的一篇文章，死者名单如下：

截至4月，在阿富汗阵亡的美军人员：2461人；美国承包商：3846人；阿富汗国民军和警察：66000人；其他盟军人员（包括来自其他北约成员国的人员）：1144人；阿富汗平民：47245人；塔利班和其他反对派武装人员：51191人；援助人员：444人；记者：72人。

截至4月，在阿富汗阵亡的美军人数：2461人。

美国承包商：3,846。

阿富汗国民军和警察：66,000人。

其他盟军成员，包括来自其他北约成员国的成员：1,144人。

阿富汗平民：47,245人。

塔利班和其他反对派武装人员：51191人。

此外，无数人受伤，其中一些伤势严重，包括超过2万名美军士兵。战争也耗费了巨额资金。据估计，美国在阿富汗战争的花费高达1万亿美元，甚至超过2万亿美元。

我谨代表我们的团队，向多年来在阿富汗服役的80万名军人，以及所有以其他身份在阿富汗服役的人员及其家属致以最诚挚的谢意，感谢你们的付出和牺牲。尽管美国在阿富汗的整体军事任务及其战略在未来许多年仍将引发争论，但我们必须铭记，美国本土此后再未遭受过来自阿富汗的恐怖袭击。我想，在9·11事件后的黑暗时期，恐怕很少有人能够预料到这一点。

尽管塔利班在阿富汗耗费了 20 年的鲜血和财富后可能重新控制了阿富汗，但如果说过去二十年我们应该学到了什么，那就是阿富汗的未来远非一成不变。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

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