Shadows Cast by a Generation of War The 20 year occupation of Afghanistan has left an indelible mark on the country's psyche, lingering long after foreign troops withdrew.
The true cost of war extends far beyond bombs dropped and lives lost: millions displaced, thousands killed or maimed, and an entire generation growing up under the specter of violence. The U. S.
led invasion, launched in response to the 9/11 attacks, was intended to be swift and decisive. Instead, it spawned two decades of bloodshed, displacement, and economic devastation.