The Americans Left Behind: A Tale Of Betrayal And Abandonment In Afghanistan

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 left hundreds of Americans stranded in the country. The Biden administration had promised to evacuate all American citizens, but the speed of the Taliban's advance and the chaotic nature of the evacuation meant that this was not possible. The US government has since been working to get the remaining citizens out of the country, but the exact number of those still stranded is unclear. While the White House has put the figure at between 100 and 200, a Republican lawmaker suggested the number could be much higher. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the government is trying to track down around 1,000 American citizens who have not responded to their attempts to contact them.

The number of Americans left in Afghanistan

In the chaotic final days of the evacuation, the US focused on getting its citizens out, and by the time the last US soldier departed, the Biden administration claimed that only around 100 to 150 Americans were left in the country. This figure was disputed by some, with a Republican lawmaker suggesting the number was much higher.

In the months following the withdrawal, the US continued its efforts to evacuate Americans from Afghanistan, and by February 2022, the US had evacuated a further 479 Americans, according to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report. This indicated that the number of Americans left behind in Afghanistan was higher than initially reported.

A subsequent investigation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Republican staff found that 800 Americans had been helped out of Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, bringing the total number of Americans evacuated to over 1,200. This suggested that the Biden administration had either undercounted the number of Americans who wanted to leave or that there was an uptick in the number of citizens willing to depart following the Taliban's rise to power.

The true number of Americans left behind in Afghanistan may never be known, and it is likely that some chose to remain in the country, particularly those with deep roots and extended families in Afghanistan. The State Department has emphasized its commitment to evacuating any American citizens who wish to leave Afghanistan, and it continues to explore options for those who remain.

The US government's evacuation efforts

The evacuation efforts began in July 2021, with the relocation of Afghan nationals and their families eligible for special immigrant visas. On August 14, the US began airlifting people from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, and by August 31, the US had evacuated about 82,300 people, including 4,500 US citizens. The US also deployed additional troops to Kabul to facilitate the evacuations and protect the airport.

However, the evacuation efforts were not without challenges and criticism. There were reports of communication issues, with US officials struggling to track down US citizens and confirm their whereabouts and intentions to evacuate. There were also security concerns, with the Taliban controlling access to the airport and the Islamic State posing a significant threat. On August 26, explosions at the Kabul airport killed dozens of people, including US service members, and threw the remaining evacuations into jeopardy.

Despite these challenges, the US government continued its evacuation efforts. The Biden administration maintained that it was committed to evacuating all US citizens who wanted to leave Afghanistan and that it would help those who decided to stay and later changed their minds. The US Embassy in Kabul instructed Americans to shelter in place and later relocated to the airport, which remained under NATO control.

The evacuation efforts also extended beyond the August 31 withdrawal deadline. The US government continued to work with the Taliban to secure safe passage for Americans and Afghans who wanted to leave. The US facilitated the departure of additional American citizens and lawful permanent residents in the months following the withdrawal.

Overall, the US government's evacuation efforts involved coordination across multiple government agencies, the deployment of additional troops, and ongoing diplomatic engagement with the Taliban and other international partners. While the operation successfully evacuated tens of thousands of people, it also faced challenges and criticism, particularly regarding the number of Americans and vulnerable Afghans left behind.

The Taliban's reprisals

There have been reports of the Taliban conducting door-to-door searches in Kabul for human rights defenders and journalists. In one instance, the Taliban shot dead a family member and injured another when they could not locate the journalist they were searching for. In another incident, the Taliban abducted, abused, and killed Nazar Mohammed, a popular comedian. Hundreds of arrests and abductions in Spin Boldak, Kandahar, have also been documented.

The Taliban have also been accused of massacring nine ethnic Hazara men in Ghazni province. Six of the men were shot, and three were tortured to death, including one man who was strangled with his scarf and had his arm muscles sliced off.

The Taliban's actions have led to fears that they will not uphold their promises to respect international human rights law. The United Nations and other organizations have urged the Taliban to respect human rights and ensure the safety of Afghans, regardless of their ethnic background or religious beliefs.

The Taliban's actions have had a significant impact on the evacuation efforts, with counterterrorism expert Jason Killmeyer stating that "the likelihood is high" that some Americans will be left behind in Afghanistan. The US troops' focus on retrograding, evacuating those inside the airport, and anti-ISIS defense operations further complicate the situation.

The Biden administration's response

The Biden administration has faced significant criticism for its handling of the evacuation of US citizens from Afghanistan. The administration initially stated that there were 100-150 Americans left in the country, but this figure was later revised to 1,500. As of August 26, 2021, the US had evacuated approximately 4,500 Americans since the airlift began on August 14, with 500 more expected to depart soon. However, explosions at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on the same day threw the remaining evacuations into jeopardy.

The Biden administration rejected the notion that Americans would be left behind. White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, stated that it was "irresponsible" to suggest Americans were stranded and affirmed the administration's commitment to "bringing Americans who want to come home, home." President Biden himself said that he expected all American citizens to be evacuated by the next week.

Despite these assurances, there were reports of Americans being left behind during the evacuation. A report by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee found that as many as 9,000 Americans were left in Afghanistan during the Biden administration's withdrawal. This is supported by statements from Republican lawmakers, such as House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who claimed that the number of Americans left behind could be in the thousands.

In response to the criticism, the Biden administration defended its decision to end the US military involvement in Afghanistan, calling it "the right decision, the wise decision, the best decision for America." President Biden emphasized that the US had achieved its original goal of hunting down Osama bin Laden and argued that staying indefinitely would have resulted in more American casualties and resources spent. He also stated that the US had reached out to Americans in Afghanistan multiple times since March with offers to help them leave.

The Biden administration also emphasized its commitment to continuing to help Americans and Afghans leave the country. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, led diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for those who wanted to leave. The administration worked with over 100 countries to hold the Taliban accountable for their commitments to allow safe passage for those wishing to depart.

The impact on America's reputation

The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, and the subsequent collapse of the Afghan government, has had a profound impact on America's reputation. The U.S. had spent 20 years and billions of dollars attempting to stabilise the country and prevent it from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. However, the Taliban's swift takeover and the chaotic evacuation effort led to a perception of American incompetence and weakness on the world stage.

The withdrawal was widely criticised for its hasty and disorganised nature, with American citizens and Afghan allies left stranded and at the mercy of the Taliban. This was in stark contrast to the image of military prowess and efficiency that the U.S. had sought to project over the previous two decades. The failure to secure a complete withdrawal and the need to conduct further rescue missions further undermined America's reputation for competence and raised questions about its ability to honour its commitments to allies.

The botched withdrawal also damaged America's credibility and reliability as a partner. The U.S. had promised to support the Afghan government and help those who had worked with American forces, but the sudden collapse and chaotic evacuation left many feeling abandoned and betrayed. This not only affected America's reputation in Afghanistan but also had a broader impact on its global standing, with allies and adversaries alike questioning America's reliability.

The withdrawal also raised concerns about America's commitment to human rights and women's empowerment, which had been a key justification for its presence in Afghanistan. The Taliban's rollback of women's rights and restrictions on girls' education led to accusations of American hypocrisy and a failure to uphold its stated values. This further damaged America's reputation and raised questions about its true motives for intervening in Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan withdrawal also highlighted ongoing debates about America's role in the world and the limits of its power. It fuelled criticism of American foreign policy and military interventions, with some arguing that the U.S. should focus on domestic issues and avoid costly and open-ended nation-building efforts abroad. The failure in Afghanistan led to a reevaluation of America's global strategy and a shift towards a more restrained and selective approach to foreign entanglements.

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