The Lingering Us Military Presence In Afghanistan: Understanding The Ongoing Commitment

As of August 31, 2021, there are no longer US troops in Afghanistan. The Pentagon announced that the last US troops had left Afghanistan, ending America's longest war. The last US flight out of Afghanistan departed at 3:29 p.m. ET. The withdrawal came nearly 20 years after the US military first entered the country following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. While there are no longer US troops in Afghanistan, there are still efforts to evacuate family members of US service members and citizens who remain in the country.

The Pentagon announced that the last US troops left Afghanistan on 31 August 2021

The decision to withdraw was based on the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and all US commanders on the ground. They believed that ending the military mission was the best way to protect US troops and secure the departure of civilians who wanted to leave Afghanistan. The US had also relocated over 122,000 people from Afghanistan since the end of July 2021, including 5,400 American citizens.

The last US flight out of Afghanistan departed at 3:29 p.m. ET, with Chargé d'Affaires Ross Wilson and Major General Chris Donahue among the last to leave. General Kenneth F. McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, confirmed that "every single US service member is out of Afghanistan". The withdrawal came after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and their declaration of 31 August as a national holiday to celebrate the withdrawal of American forces.

The US demilitarised or rendered useless the military equipment left behind, including billions of dollars worth of equipment and vehicles. Despite the withdrawal, the US remains committed to Americans still in the country and vulnerable Afghans. Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that the US will lead with diplomacy in its new chapter of engagement with Afghanistan.

The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan was not without criticism. Some lawmakers and military officials criticised the Biden administration for not providing closure or accountability for the tragic deaths of 13 US service members in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on 26 August 2021. There were also concerns about the hundreds of American citizens and vulnerable Afghans who were unable to evacuate.

There are still dozens of family members of US troops in Afghanistan

The Pentagon confirmed that there are "dozens" of family members of US troops who remain in Afghanistan. This is nearly three months after the US ended its military mission in the country. The Biden administration is compiling a database of these relatives, as outlined in a memo sent by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl. The memo instructs US military personnel and civilian employees with immediate family members in Afghanistan seeking evacuation to contact a department-associated email address.

The Pentagon is stepping up efforts to get these family members out of Afghanistan. Defense officials have stated that there are several dozen immediate family members of US service members in Afghanistan, including children, siblings, and parents. There are also well over 100 extended family members still in the country, but it is unclear how many of them want to leave. The Pentagon does not have an accurate count of how many civilian employees still have immediate family in Afghanistan.

Many of the service members with family in Afghanistan are Afghan-born, and some served as interpreters during the war before immigrating to the US and enlisting. Members of Congress have been pushing the Pentagon to do more to help service members with families stuck in Afghanistan.

The US military evacuated more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan, including 5,400 American citizens. However, there are still Americans and vulnerable Afghans who were left behind. The Biden administration expects the Taliban to continue allowing safe passage for Americans and others to leave Afghanistan.

The Biden administration is compiling a database of relatives of US troops in Afghanistan

The last US troops left Afghanistan on August 31, 2021, bringing an end to America's longest war. The Pentagon confirmed that all US service members had left the country, with the final flight out of Afghanistan departing at 3:29 p.m. ET.

However, the Biden administration continues to face challenges related to the withdrawal. Notably, there are still "dozens" of family members of US troops in Afghanistan who are seeking evacuation. In response, the administration is compiling a database of these relatives to facilitate their evacuation. This effort is being led by the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Colin Kahl, who sent a memo in November 2021 instructing US military personnel and civilian employees with immediate family members in Afghanistan to contact a dedicated email address.

The creation of this database marks a shift in the evacuation strategy, as previous efforts had primarily focused on Afghan troops, interpreters, and others who directly aided the US military. The database will allow the US government to identify and account for the family members of US troops, including children, siblings, and parents, who are still in the country.

The Biden administration's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has been a controversial one, with critics arguing that the process was chaotic and left Americans and vulnerable Afghans behind. However, President Biden has defended his decision, stating that the war in Afghanistan was no longer in the national interest of the United States. He has also pledged ongoing support for Afghans, particularly women and girls, through diplomacy, international influence, and humanitarian aid.

The US evacuated more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan

The US and its allies evacuated more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan in the two weeks following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. This was part of a wider coalition effort, and the evacuation was completed on 30 August 2021, one day before the deadline agreed with the Taliban.

The evacuation was one of the largest airlifts in history, and the largest in US history. The evacuees included US citizens, citizens of US allies, and Afghan allies of the US. The US also evacuated some 5,000 American citizens, and their families, since the end of July.

The evacuation was completed by the 82nd Airborne Division, and the last soldier to leave Afghanistan was Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. The evacuation was not without its difficulties, and the US military had to rely on the Taliban for security and screening.

The US had initially planned to withdraw its troops by 1 May 2021, following an agreement with the Taliban. However, the Biden administration pushed the completion date back to 11 September 2021, and then to 31 August 2021.

The US military first entered Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks

The US-led invasion began on October 7, 2001, with air strikes on Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets. The US was joined by the UK, and later a large multinational force, including Afghanistan's local Northern Alliance. 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 Osama Bin Laden escaped into neighbouring Pakistan.

The invasion was a joint effort between US and UK forces, with the UK acting as a key ally of the US. The US military presence in Afghanistan bolstered the Northern Alliance, which had been locked in a losing fight with the Taliban during the Afghan Civil War. Prior to the US invasion, the Taliban had seized around 85% of Afghanistan's territory, effectively confining the Northern Alliance to the country's northeast corner.

The US-led invasion marked the first phase of what would become a 20-year-long war in Afghanistan. The conflict resulted in heavy casualties, with thousands of coalition troops, Afghan civilians, and Taliban fighters killed. The war ended in 2021 with the withdrawal of US and NATO troops and the Taliban's recapture of Kabul.

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