Williams County Afghanistan War and 2nd Iraq War Memorial

Williams County Afghanistan War and 2nd Iraq War Memorial. . , The United States invasion of Afghanistan, known as Operation Enduring Freedom, occurred on 7 October 2001, after the 9/11 attacks on US. soil. President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban, the extremist organization that had gained control of the Afghan government, hand over Osama bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, and expel al-Qaeda. Additional goals of the Mission were to remove the Taliban from power and establish a stable democratic government. The U.S. and its allies, to include Afghan Tribesmen of the Northern Alliance, rapidly drove the Taliban from power and built military bases near major cities across the country. In December 20O1, the United Nations Security Council established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to oversee military operations in the country and to train Afghan National Security Forces. One portion of U.S. forces in Afghanistan operated under NATO command; the rest remained under direct U.S. command. On 2 May 2011, U.S. Navy Seals conducted Operation Neptune Spear, a raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. During the raid Osama bin Laden was killed. Taliban leaders reorganized in Afghanistan and launched an insurgency against the government and ISAF that continued even though the U.S. formally announced the end of Combat Operations on 28 December 2014. The Afghan War became the longest U.S. conflict to date, and many more troops were exposed to toxic fumes from burn pits., The Iraqi conflict or Operation Iraqi Freedom began with the invasion of Iraq from 20 March to 1 May 2003 and was seen as a continuation of hostilities from the Persian Gulf War of 1990 -1991. The reason for the invasion of Iraq was based on a belief by the American and British governments that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction and that he presented a threat to his neighbors and to the world. The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom.Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and deposed the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein. The invasion phase consisted primarily of a conventionally fought war which included the capture of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by American forces with the assistance of its allies. The coalition forces also received support from Kurdish irregulars in Iraqi Kurdistan. On 13 December 2003, Saddam Hussein was.located hiding in a hole, known as a Spider Hole, by members of the First Brigade Combat team of the 4th Infantry Division. The conflict continued as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government. The United States officially withdrew from the country in 2011 but became re-involved in 2014 at the head of a new coalition to regain land from and defeat ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria which had previously defeated US. Trained Iraqi Security Forces. As in the Persian Gulf War burn pits and the use of depleted uranium shells continued to cause many of those who served severe health issues.,

"I get chills when guys like Richard Merillat and Paul Hiesey put a hand over their heart and say they're just regular guys like my Dad in West Unity, where I grew up. One was a truck driver who became Mayor. The other was a school janitor who became President of the Board of Education. When guys like that can stand up to lead The Pledge of Allegiance everything's going to be alright and it doesn't matter if everyone agrees because they never do. This is our way of life based on the Constitution. Anyone can rise up to assume responsibility. Everyone is free to speak their mind, and all are equal. That, in my humble opinion, is worth defending." , - Lynn Thompson, Bryan Ohio, "Let us raise our glass and drink to us and those like us, there's not that many and the good ones are dead." , Lcpl. David Brennemen USMC Ret. Bryan, Ohio