Ruqayyah Snyder
Afghanistan has been a source of contention for many countries, including the United States, Russia, and China. The United States, in particular, has had a long history of involvement in Afghanistan, dating back to the 2001 invasion that ousted the Taliban regime. Despite the subsequent two decades of military presence and attempts to establish a democratic government, the Taliban retook control in 2021, leading to a mass evacuation of U.S. citizens, allies, and Afghan refugees. This withdrawal marked the end of America's longest war, costing over $2 trillion and resulting in thousands of casualties.
The fall of Kabul and the collapse of the Afghan government took many by surprise, including U.S. officials and allies. In the aftermath, the U.S. has shifted to a position of pragmatic engagement, providing humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to meet basic human needs. While the future of Afghanistan remains uncertain, the international community is faced with a difficult decision: to engage with the Taliban government or risk further instability and humanitarian crises.
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The US withdrawal from Afghanistan
The Biden administration inherited the deal and decided to stick to it, with President Biden announcing in April 2021 that US military forces would leave Afghanistan by September 2021. This decision was based on the assumption that the Afghan National Security Forces, trained and equipped by the US, would be a strong adversary in their civil war with the Taliban. However, this assumption turned out to be incorrect.
The withdrawal process was chaotic and dangerous. The US State Department faced criticism for its handling of the evacuation operation, with thousands of Afghans who had served alongside US forces left behind. The Taliban's rapid advance took many by surprise, and the Afghan government collapsed on August 15, 2021, over two weeks before the official withdrawal deadline. This prompted the US to deploy additional troops to assist with the evacuation of US and allied personnel, as well as Afghans who had worked with them.
The evacuation was the largest airlift in history, with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety. However, it was also dangerous, with 13 US service members killed in a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on August 26, 2021. The US completed its troop withdrawal on August 31, 2021, and the war in Afghanistan officially ended.
The aftermath of the US withdrawal has been devastating for Afghanistan. The country faces a collapsed economy, a humanitarian crisis, and a repressive Taliban regime. Girls are once again barred from secondary schools, and women's rights have been severely restricted. Afghanistan also faces a growing humanitarian crisis, with food shortages, soaring food prices, and a lack of external assistance due to the West's reticence to work with the Taliban government.
The US withdrawal has also had significant political ramifications. The Biden administration faced heavy criticism over the botched exit, and a State Department report detailed damning failings in the chaotic withdrawal. The report found that the decisions of both the Trump and Biden administrations to end the US military mission in Afghanistan had serious consequences and that there was insufficient consideration of worst-case scenarios.
In conclusion, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan was a complex and challenging process that had far-reaching consequences. The war officially ended on August 31, 2021, but the aftermath continues to unfold, with Afghanistan facing political, economic, and humanitarian crises.
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The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan
The Taliban, a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist and predominantly Pashtun movement, seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop withdrawal. The insurgents rapidly swept across the country, capturing all major cities within days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the U.S. and its allies offered little resistance and, in some cases, surrendered without a fight. This marked a return to power for the Taliban, who had previously ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until they were ousted by U.S. and allied forces in October 2001.
The Taliban's return to power has had severe consequences for the country. They have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law, resulting in harsh restrictions on the rights of women and girls, who have been banned from working, attending school beyond primary level, and appearing in public without a male chaperone. The Taliban have also restricted freedom of expression, with journalists facing intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on press freedoms. The economy has floundered under Taliban rule, with malnutrition soaring and hundreds of thousands of jobs lost.
The takeover has also heightened concerns about Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for terrorist organizations, particularly the Taliban's close ties with al-Qaeda. The Taliban provided refuge for al-Qaeda before the 9/11 attacks, and experts worry that Afghanistan could once again become a base for terrorist groups to plan and launch international attacks.
The speed and ease of the Taliban's territorial gains and the collapse of the Afghan government and security forces surprised U.S. officials and allies, and led to a rush of Afghans attempting to flee the country. The Taliban's takeover has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, with the UN estimating that the number of people in need of assistance increased to nearly 29 million by August 2023. The healthcare system is fragile and dependent on international aid, and the country faces food insecurity, malnutrition, and a lack of access to basic services.
The world has responded to the Taliban takeover with sanctions, the suspension of aid, and the refusal to recognize the Taliban government diplomatically. The Taliban are now under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged abuses of Afghan civilians and crimes against humanity.
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The collapse of the Afghan government
The collapse was precipitated by the U.S. withdrawal from the country after a two-decade intervention. The Taliban began expanding its grip on the country after agreeing to a peace deal with the Trump administration in February 2020. The deal called for a full American withdrawal and a reduction in allied forces. This caused uncertainty and demoralization among Afghan forces, who saw it as a guarantee of their defeat against the Taliban.
The Taliban capitalized on this uncertainty, negotiating with and bribing government forces to hand over their weapons and surrender. They also cut off supply lines and intensified an assassination campaign, killing government officials, activists, police officers, journalists, and religious scholars.
As the Taliban advanced, Afghan security forces abandoned their posts, complaining that they had run out of food and had not been paid in months. The Taliban's momentum continued to build, and by August, they had begun to target urban areas, capturing provincial capitals and meeting little resistance.
The Afghan government's failure to adjust its military strategy and address corruption within the security forces also contributed to the collapse. The ruling class in Kabul chose to focus on acquiring power and money instead of fixing the military and improving governance. This further demoralized the rank-and-file Afghan soldiers and police officers, who were well aware of the corruption within the government and the security forces.
The Taliban's successful strategy, combined with the flaws in how the security forces were constructed and managed, poor military planning, and the Afghan government's incompetence, led to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government.
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The evacuation of US and Allied personnel from Afghanistan
The evacuation efforts began in the final weeks of the war, as the Taliban rapidly advanced and took control of Kabul on August 15, 2021. The US and its allies had to act quickly to secure the departure of their personnel, as the situation on the ground deteriorated. The US deployed 6,000 troops to Kabul to help secure the airport and facilitate the evacuation. The operation was challenging and dangerous, with US troops facing a crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country. There were also security concerns, as ISIS-K terrorists, enemies of the Taliban, were known to be in the midst of the crowds.
The evacuation efforts were not without criticism, with some arguing that they should have started earlier to avoid the rush and chaos at the airport. However, President Biden defended the timing, stating that even if evacuations had begun earlier, there still would have been a rush to the airport and a breakdown in confidence and control of the government. He also emphasized that the decision to end the war and withdraw troops was necessary to prevent further American casualties and to focus on more pressing national security threats.
The evacuation of US and allied personnel was a massive undertaking, involving the coordination of multiple countries and the brave service of US military, diplomatic, and intelligence personnel. Despite the challenges, the operation successfully evacuated tens of thousands of people to safety and marked the end of America's longest war.
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The future of Afghanistan-US relations
The US has urged the Taliban to form an inclusive government that reflects Afghanistan's diversity and includes representation for women and minority communities. However, the Taliban has rolled back women's rights and educational opportunities, and continued to impose strict laws and punishments. The US has not recognized the Taliban and has frozen Afghan central bank reserves.
The US and Afghanistan belong to several of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. The US also engages with the Taliban to ensure they abide by their commitments under the Doha Agreement to prevent any group or individual from using Afghan soil to threaten US security and to engage in intra-Afghan negotiations.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the U.S. had allies in Afghanistan. In fact, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 and quickly ousted the Taliban regime.
NATO Allies and partner countries had military forces deployed to Afghanistan under a United Nations (UN) Security Council mandate.
The allies went into Afghanistan to ensure that the country would not become a safe haven for international terrorists to attack NATO member countries.
Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the U.S. and its allies evacuated their citizens and personnel from Afghanistan. More than 120,000 people were evacuated in the Allied airlift from Kabul airport.
