Surge In Afghanistan: Us Troops Face Complex Challenges

The US war in Afghanistan has been a long and deadly conflict, with around 2,400 American service members losing their lives and 20,000 more wounded. Over the course of the 20-year conflict, more than 775,000 US service members have been deployed to Afghanistan at least once, with many serving multiple deployments. The last US soldier left Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, bringing an end to America's longest war. However, as of October 2023, there are reports of heightened tensions in the Middle East and approximately 900 US troops have been deployed to the region.

The US has deployed more troops to Afghanistan than disclosed

This undercount complicates the decision-making process for the Biden administration, which is facing a high-stakes choice of whether to follow through with a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. The additional troops add a layer of complexity to the swirling debate at the White House over whether to stick with a deal struck by the Trump administration and the Taliban to remove all remaining American forces by May 1, 2021.

While the additional 1,000 troops may seem like a small number compared to the roughly 100,000 troops deployed at the height of the war, the scope of the US presence has become a contentious issue. The Taliban wants all US troops out of the country, while the Afghan government's beleaguered security forces rely on American air support. Members of Congress have called for an increase in troops if the US decides to stay past the withdrawal date.

Having more troops in a country than officially acknowledged is a common practice for the US. From Syria to Yemen to Mali, the US often details military troops to the CIA or other agencies, classifies the information, and refuses to publicly acknowledge their presence.

In 2017, the Pentagon disclosed that there were more troops in Afghanistan than previously acknowledged. The actual "total force" number was closer to 11,000, including covert and temporary units, while the previously stated number was 8,400 due to misleading accounting measures and red tape.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The withdrawal was chaotic, with thousands of Afghans who had worked alongside US forces left behind. The State Department was criticised for its handling of the evacuation, with a lack of coordination and clear decision-making. The speed of the US military's withdrawal and the decision to hand over Bagram Air Base meant that Hamid Karzai International Airport was the only avenue for evacuation.

The withdrawal of US troops resulted in the Taliban regaining control of the country and a refugee crisis as many Afghans fled. It also raised fears that Afghanistan would become a safe haven for terrorists. Indeed, in July 2021, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was discovered in Kabul and killed in a US drone strike.

One year after the US withdrawal, Afghanistan faced a collapsed economy, a humanitarian crisis, and a Taliban regime that had imposed restrictions on civil society, particularly for women and girls. The Taliban's decision not to allow girls to attend secondary school was seen as a reversion to the Taliban's previous rule from 1996-2001. Additionally, the US and the West's strategy of using economic sanctions and cutting off aid to try to moderate the Taliban had not worked. Instead, it had hurt the Afghan people, with half the population facing food insecurity and millions of children malnourished.

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, twenty years after being ousted by U.S. troops. The Taliban's harsh rule has seen a crackdown on women's rights, a neglect of basic services, and a struggling economy.

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has resulted in a rollback of women's rights. Women have been banned from working, attending university, and appearing in public without a male chaperone. The Taliban have also closed beauty salons, forcibly shut down women-owned businesses, and prohibited girls from attending secondary school. The Taliban's restrictions on women's rights have been described by the UN as a form of "gender persecution" and a crime against humanity.

The Taliban's takeover has also led to a deterioration in living conditions in Afghanistan. The economy has shrunk by up to 30% since the takeover, with an estimated 700,000 jobs lost. Malnutrition has soared, and the UN estimates that almost all Afghans are now living in poverty. The healthcare system is dependent on international aid and remains fragile.

The Taliban's return to power has also had an impact on security in Afghanistan. The country's overall security situation has improved, and civilian casualties have declined. However, violence remains widespread, with the Islamic State in Khorasan terrorist group increasing attacks on civilians. The Taliban also face armed opposition from groups such as the National Resistance Front and the Islamic State Khorasan Province.

The international community's response to the Taliban takeover has been mixed. The U.S. and its allies have withdrawn their troops from Afghanistan and refused to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government. At the same time, countries such as China, Russia, and Pakistan have engaged with the Taliban and refused to isolate them completely.

The impact of the US withdrawal on Afghan women

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan has had a devastating impact on Afghan women. The Taliban's influence in the country has grown to the detriment of Afghan women, and the implications for women in rural areas where the Taliban has absolute control are even more dire compared to women working in major urban centres like Kabul.

The Taliban's ideological position on women's rights remains regressive and harsh. A combination of Pashtun tribalism and Deobandi anti-culturalism accounts for the Taliban's patriarchal outlook. The anti-women posture in the Taliban's ideology is a subset of their broader anti-Western and anti-secular worldview, in which women's emancipation is seen as a contradiction to Islam.

The Taliban has been ambiguous about their plans for a political settlement, stating only that they envision an Islamic system that embraces all Afghans. However, they are clearly fighting for the restoration of an emirate similar to the one they ruled from 1996 to 2001, alarming those who experienced their authoritarian system.

The Taliban has restricted women's mobility and sexuality, using varied forms of cultural and patriarchal frameworks to justify the atrocities committed against women. This forms the centerpiece of their governance approach, as it keeps the power structure intact.

The status of women in Afghanistan now hangs in the balance. Women's rights and liberties should not be traded for a political settlement and power-sharing agreement with the Taliban. Research indicates that gender-inclusive peace settlements are long-lasting and more durable than settlements that exclude women.

Preserving women's rights in post-US Afghanistan is not just a moral imperative but a demographic demand. The Taliban's vague claims that their position on women's rights has moderated over time should be taken with a heavy dose of skepticism.

The number of US troops deployed to Afghanistan

In March 2021, it was reported that the US had around 1,000 more troops in Afghanistan than publicly disclosed, with the actual number being closer to 3,500, including Special Operations forces that had been put "off the books". This discrepancy added complexity to the Biden administration's decision-making regarding a complete withdrawal of troops.

Over the course of the 20-year conflict, the number of US troops in Afghanistan varied depending on the needs and strategies of different administrations. During the height of the war in 2010 and 2011, the US deployed approximately 100,000 troops, with the Marine Corps contributing about 20,000 service members during that period.

The Army, being the Pentagon's largest service, has deployed the most troops, with more than 491,500 soldiers serving in Afghanistan, including active-duty forces, Army reservists, and National Guardsmen. The Air Force, with about 123,000 airmen, has had the second-highest number of deployments, even as the overall troop numbers decreased.

The impact of these deployments on service members and their attitudes towards the conflict has been significant, with veterans expressing shifting sentiments ranging from initial optimism to a sense of the US mission's unrealistic nature.

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