ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the US President George W. Bush administration's path to war in both Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. Bush presented the US-led War on Terror within the context of America's national security. In the eyes of the Taliban, the newly established government served the US occupation of Afghanistan and merited the same treatment as the Soviets. Washington presented the removal of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iraq as important measures in the fight against international terrorism. The emergence of various Shia militia groups exacerbated Iraq's instability. In late 2003, a Sunni-led insurgency was launched in opposition to the occupying forces and local Shia authorities. The resilience of the Taliban's insurgency prompted many regional observers to question the viability of a military solution. Negotiation was thus put forward as a potential means of resolution.
