Immediately after the September 11 attack on the United States , President George W. Bush instructed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to come up with a plan to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan who harbored Al Qaeda . General Tommy Franks , then-commanding general of Central Command , initially proposed a conventional force invasion of Afghanistan with 60,000 troops . He told Bush and Rumsfeld that it would take six months to launch the campaign . Rumsfeld heatedly rejected this plan , demanding that troops be sent in immediately . Franks returned the next day with a plan to utilize special forces , which Bush approved
September 11 attack
September 11 attacks
History of the United States Army Special Forces