Focus on this artwork and explain the Background.
The artist, Douwe Blumberg, had been a horse trainer for 18 years and is a military history buff. He was inspired to begin the sculpture by a photo that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld displayed at a press conference at the Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois, on November 16, 2001, shortly after U.S. forces entered Afghanistan.As part of Operation Enduring Freedom, President George W. Bush sent covert forces into Afghanistan to help the Northern Alliance defeat the Taliban. The group, named Task Force Dagger, was a joint Special Operations team consisting of Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group, aircrew members from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ("Nightstalkers"), and Air Force Combat Controllers.
Green Beret Donald Rumsfeld Douwe Blumberg Northern Alliance Air Force Combat Controllers Operation Enduring Freedom Green Berets 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment George W. Bush 5th Special Forces Group Taliban