The Enduring Mystery Of Us Confinement In Afghanistan: Unraveling The Unknown

The United States' longest war ended on August 30, 2021, with the withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Afghanistan. The exit followed a chaotic two-week evacuation process during which more than 120,000 people were evacuated. The U.S. troops left Afghanistan under Taliban rule, with the insurgent group taking over the presidential palace in Kabul. The U.S. and the Taliban had signed the Doha Agreement in February 2020, which led to the withdrawal of U.S. and Allied forces from Afghanistan. The U.S. has not recognized the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001

Within 10 days of the attacks, Bush demanded that the Taliban government extradite Osama bin Laden to the US and expel al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan. When the Taliban refused, the US launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001, alongside the United Kingdom, with other countries providing logistical support. The invasion force consisted of American, British, Canadian, and Australian forces. The Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban coalition, also fought alongside US troops.

The invasion made rapid progress, with the coalition capturing Kabul on November 13 and toppling the Taliban by December 17. However, most members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured, and during the Battle of Tora Bora, Osama bin Laden and other key leaders escaped into neighbouring Pakistan. Despite this, the US considered its initial goals largely achieved and shifted its focus to Iraq in 2002.

The invasion marked the first phase of what would become a 20-year-long war in Afghanistan, with the second phase marked by a US strategy of defeating the Taliban and rebuilding core institutions, and the third phase being a turn to classic counterinsurgency doctrine.

The Doha Agreement and the withdrawal of US forces

The Doha Agreement, also known as the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan, was signed by the United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020, in Doha, Qatar. The agreement was negotiated for the US by Zalmay Khalilzad, for the Trump Administration. It was intended to bring an end to the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan.

The Doha Agreement outlined the following:

• The US would reduce its forces in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days (by July 2020), and withdraw all remaining troops within 14 months (by May 1, 2021) if the Taliban kept its commitments.
• The Taliban would prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control and engage in intra-Afghan peace talks to decide on "the future political map of Afghanistan."
• The US would close five military bases within 135 days and end economic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020.
• The withdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban's counter-terrorism commitments.

The Agreement was welcomed by Pakistan, China, Russia, and India, and was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.

Following the Agreement, the US dramatically reduced the number of air raids in Afghanistan, which left the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) without a key advantage in keeping the Taliban at bay. This resulted in a sense of abandonment within the ANSF and the Afghan population, and insurgent attacks against the ANSF surged.

Despite the Agreement, the Taliban continued to spread propaganda and disinformation, including convincing local police and military units that the US had handed over territories to them and that they should abandon their positions. Due to the lack of information and secret annexes in the Agreement, which were not shared with the Afghan government, the Taliban was able to gain the upper hand.

The US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, nearly 20 years after first invading the country. The withdrawal was chaotic and resulted in the deaths of more than 180 Afghans and 13 US service members.

The Doha Agreement was not without its critics. Some analysts called it flawed and having had disastrous outcomes for Afghans. It was also criticized for not including any provisions to protect the rights of women and minorities in Afghanistan.

Following the US withdrawal, the Taliban established an all-male caretaker cabinet and rejected calls to form an inclusive government. The US has not recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

The Taliban takeover in 2021

The Taliban's swift offensive came as the United States withdrew its remaining troops from Afghanistan as outlined in the 2020 peace agreement with the group. The Taliban had been waging an insurgency against the US-backed government in Kabul since 2001. The Taliban's success has raised questions about how the insurgent group was able to gain control so soon after the US withdrawal. US officials admitted that they miscalculated the speed at which the Taliban were able to advance across the country.

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has had significant implications for the country and its people. The Taliban have imposed restrictions on women's rights, including bans on working, education, and participation in public life. The economy has also floundered under Taliban rule, with malnutrition soaring and hundreds of thousands of jobs lost.

The Taliban takeover has also had consequences for the security situation in Afghanistan. While the country's overall security situation has improved and civilian casualties have declined, violence remains widespread, with the Islamic State in Khorasan terrorist group increasing attacks on civilians.

The international community's response to the Taliban takeover has been mixed. Many Western countries, including the United States, have refused to recognize the Taliban government and have shut down their diplomatic offices in Afghanistan. At the same time, the Taliban are under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged abuses of Afghan civilians and war crimes.

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has had far-reaching consequences and continues to shape the country's political, economic, and social landscape.

The US's shift to a pragmatic engagement policy

The US's pragmatic engagement policy with Afghanistan is a shift from its previous policy of nation-building and regime change. The US's current policy is to engage with the Taliban in counterterrorism efforts and to urge them to form an inclusive government that reflects Afghanistan's diversity. The US has not yet decided whether to recognize the Taliban as the Government of Afghanistan.

The pragmatic engagement policy is a result of the US's realization that its previous policies were not working. The US's goals of defeating the Taliban, establishing a self-sustaining Afghan democracy and economy, and ensuring social gains were not achieved. The US's policy was dependent on the success of the Afghan government, which was plagued by disunity and corruption.

The US's pragmatic engagement policy is a way to balance principle and pragmatism. The US wants to hold the Taliban accountable for persecuting women and girls, harboring terrorists, and failing to govern inclusively, but it also wants to avoid a civil war and famine in Afghanistan. The US is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, and it has not supported armed opposition to the Taliban.

The US's pragmatic engagement policy has some risks. Greater engagement with the Taliban could lend legitimacy to the regime. There are also concerns that engagement will not change the Taliban's policies or social behavior. However, the US has limited leverage, and isolation of the Taliban is not a viable option as it could lead to an even deeper humanitarian crisis.

The US's pragmatic engagement policy includes the following:

• Humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to meet basic human needs and avoid economic collapse
• Working with the Taliban on counterterrorism and detainee issues
• Urging the Taliban to form an inclusive government that reflects Afghanistan's diversity
• Leading the international response to deliver humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

The US's humanitarian aid efforts

The US has provided significant humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, despite sanctions and the cessation of all aid to the Afghan government. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of State have provided over $1.1 billion in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. This includes nearly $812 million from USAID and nearly $320 million from the State Department. The US is the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

The US has provided vital food, nutrition, healthcare, shelter, protection, and other relief to vulnerable Afghans in Afghanistan and those who have fled to neighbouring countries. This assistance is provided through international partners on the ground, including the United Nations Population Fund, International Organization for Migration, and other implementing partners in the region. The US has also supported the scaled-up humanitarian response in Afghanistan through emergency cash, shelter, healthcare, and reintegration assistance to internally displaced persons and returnees.

In addition, the US has contributed to multisectoral assistance to Afghans in neighbouring countries, including health and nutrition services to Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan, particularly COVID-19 screening and vaccination services. The US has also provided over 4,320,050 COVID-19 vaccine doses to the people of Afghanistan free of cost.

Furthermore, the US has taken measures to assist US citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) in Afghanistan. The US Department of State's Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) handles the planning and logistics of relocating eligible Afghans and provides counselling services to those experiencing distress.

The US has also played a role in the international community's efforts to assist the Afghan people during a period of humanitarian and economic catastrophe. The US has worked with the international community to avoid a collapse of the Afghan economy without benefiting the Taliban, boosting financial sector liquidity, and helping Afghan banks retain access to the international financial system.

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