Afghanistan vs Iraq war
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the major military campaigns that the US government has been leading for the last so many years. There had been wide spread protest all over the world against the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
When looking at the two wars, the Afghanistan war has been termed as a war against terrorism and the war in Iraq was termed as one against the Saddam regime that was posing a threat to the world with the Weapons of Mass destruction.
While the war in Afhanistan was code named Operation Enduring Freedom, the war in Iraq was named Operation Iraqi Freedom. When the war in Iraq was against a single man, Saddam Husein and his government, the war in Afghanistan is against terrorist forces, especially the Taliban.
The Afghanistan war was launched in 2001 with the United States having the support of United Kingdom and other allies, invaded the country to oust the Taliban regime.
Iraq had been a bone of contention for the US after Saddam Hussein fell out of its favour. In 2002, the US State Congress authorized the president to use force if needed to disarm Iraq. But the US failed to gather support from the UN, where Russia, China and France had opposed the UNSC resolution that was aimed at using force against Iraq. However, the US gather a ‘coalition of the willing’ and moved forward with its aim of attacking Iraq. The war against Iraq was launched in 2003.
When comparing the troops deployed in both the wars, more troops are being deployed in Afghan war than that was deployed in Iraq war. Moreover, the troops are being withdrawn from Iraq whereas more troops are being deployed in Afghanistan.
In terms of cost, the Afghanistan war is stated to cost more than the Iraq war.
Summary
1. Afghanistan war has been termed as a war against terrorism and the war in Iraq was termed as one against the Saddam regime that was posing a threat to the world with the Weapons of Mass destruction.
2. While the war in Afhanistan was code named Operation Enduring Freedom, the war in Iraq was named Operation Iraqi Freedom.
3. The Afghanistan war was launched in 2001. The war against Iraq was launched in 2003.
4. When comparing the troops deployed, more troops are being deployed in Afghan war than that was deployed in Iraq war