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A sprawling city of low buildings stretches toward mountains under a hazy sky, with a blue-domed mosque near the center.

A view over Kabul, Afghanistan, decades after the September 11 attacks drew the U.S. into a 20-year war that Afghans call "The American War." Photo: PBS NewsHour

9/11 Changed Afghanistan, but Now It's Back Where It Started

September 16, 2026

9/11 Changed Afghanistan, but Now It's Back Where It Started

After 9/11, Afghanistan became the center of America's response, and 20 years of war followed, killing hundreds of thousands, mostly civilians. Students hear from three men who fought in it and explore how the country ended up back where it started.

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Already scarred by decades of war, Afghanistan became the center of America's response to 9/11 after the Taliban harbored the men who planned the attacks. Over 20 years of what's known there as "The American War," hundreds of thousands, mostly civilians, died. Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen and videographer Eric O'Connor spoke with three men who fought in that war.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What do you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.

Warm-Up Questions

  1. Who is currently in control of Afghanistan?
  2. What role did the man identified as "Mohammed" have that has resulted in his life now being at risk?
  3. Why did the purpose of the U.S. military occupation of Afghanistan change, according to former combat medic Bryan Rippee?
  4. What is the Kabre Gora, and what does it memorialize?
  5. How long did “The American War” last?

Essential Questions

  • Former medic Bryan Rippee says that the mission in Afghanistan shifted from “finding Al-Qaida and the people who did 9/11 and planned it and executed it to being one where we were fighting the Taliban.” Why do you think the mission shifted? What else could or should the U.S. have done after Al-Qaida no longer had much of a presence in Afghanistan?
  • Media literacy: If you had to pick one person to interview out of Mohammed, Bryan Rippee or Mujahir Farahi, who would you pick and why? What questions would you like to ask them?

What Students Can Do

When the United States pulled out of the War in Afghanistan back in 2021, many people began comparing the event to The Vietnam War back in 1975, stating how history had repeated itself. Watch this short video from PolitiFact comparing the Afghan war to the Vietnam War.

After watching the video and reflecting back on the interviews from Mohammed and Bryan Rippee, answer these questions:

  1. What are the similarities between the Vietnam War and the Afghanistan War? What are the differences?
  2. Did watching this video give you a better understanding of the concerns and frustrations people had with the U.S. leaving Afghanistan? Or in other cases, starting a new war that ultimately ended like Vietnam?

9/11 Lesson Plans and Resources

From examining the events of 9/11, to discussing American values, and connecting 9/11 to the Constitution, this list of resources has several options for teachers to cover the topics surrounding 9-11-2001.

Find Lesson Plans on 9/11

Republished with permission from PBS News Hour.

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