The Afghanistan Conundrum: Evaluating Biden's Approach

President Biden's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan has been criticised by both Democrats and Republicans. Biden has defended his decision, stating that the US had already spent trillions of dollars and decades in the country, and that it was time to end the war. He also argued that the US had achieved its goals of capturing Osama bin Laden and degrading al Qaeda. Biden has also said that he will not send another generation of Americans to fight in a war that should have ended long ago. However, critics argue that the withdrawal could have been handled better and that the Biden administration failed to prepare for a scenario where the Afghan government and military would refuse to fight the Taliban. There are also concerns about the fate of Afghan women and civilians under Taliban rule, with some calling for the Biden administration to do more to protect them.

The chaotic withdrawal

Biden inherited a deal from the Trump administration that required U.S. forces to withdraw from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. The Taliban was at its strongest militarily since 2001, and the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan had been reduced to 2,500. Biden had to decide between following through on the agreement or escalating the conflict by sending thousands more troops back into combat.

Biden chose to honor the agreement and withdraw U.S. forces. He deployed 5,000 troops to ensure the safe evacuation of U.S. personnel and Afghan allies. However, the evacuation was chaotic and deadly. 13 U.S. service members and more than 170 civilians were killed in a suicide attack at Kabul's airport.

Biden faced bipartisan backlash for his handling of the withdrawal. Critics argued that the evacuation was poorly planned and executed. Biden defended his decision, stating that ending the war was always going to be messy and that he did not regret his choice to end America's warfighting in Afghanistan. He took responsibility for the decision and maintained that it was the right one for the country.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan has continued to cast a pall on the Biden administration. It has been called a "blind spot" for the president, and some have questioned his foreign policy credentials as a result. However, Biden remains defiant that he made the right calls, and history will judge his decision to end the two-decade-long war favorably.

Biden's foreign policy

Joe Biden's handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has been his first major foreign policy crisis as president. It has prompted foreign policy experts to question how Biden's decades of foreign policy experience could have led to such a chaotic withdrawal.

Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan was influenced by his focus on China and his commitment to ending America's "forever wars". He believed that the war in Afghanistan was not in the national interest of the United States and that American troops should not fight in a war that the Afghan forces were not willing to fight for themselves. He also emphasised the human and financial cost of the war, stating that it was time to end America's longest war.

The withdrawal has been criticised as haphazard and shameful by both Republicans and Democrats. Biden has been accused of drastically underestimating the speed with which the Taliban would take over, and of abandoning America's allies and Afghan civilians. However, some have defended Biden's decision, arguing that the chaos was inevitable and praising him for having "the guts" to pull the U.S. out of a failed enterprise.

The future of Afghan women

The future of women in Afghanistan is uncertain, with the Taliban's return to power in 2021 threatening to undo two decades of progress on gender equality and women's rights. While the Taliban has made statements committing to upholding the rights of women and girls, their actions have fallen short, with policies and decrees that restrict women's access to education, employment, and public life.

One of the most significant setbacks for women under Taliban rule has been the rollback of educational rights. In December 2022, the Taliban banned girls from attending school past the sixth grade and prohibited women from enrolling in universities, reversing the gains made since the Taliban's previous rule in the 1990s when girls' schooling usually stopped at the sixth grade. This has left millions of Afghan girls without access to education and limited their future career prospects.

The Taliban has also imposed restrictions on women's employment, with most female government employees being told to stay at home, except for those in certain sectors such as health and education. In the private sector, many women have been dismissed from high-level positions, and the Taliban's policy seems to be to only allow women to work if they cannot be replaced by men. This has created a desperate situation for many women who were the sole breadwinners for their families.

Women's freedom of movement has also been curtailed, with the Taliban initially requiring women to be accompanied by a male chaperone for long-distance travel and more recently decreeing that women should not leave their homes unless necessary. These restrictions have made it difficult for women to manage their daily lives and carry out essential tasks.

The Taliban has also enforced strict guidelines on clothing, requiring women to cover themselves from head to toe, with male family members being held responsible for ensuring compliance. Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in detention and punishment for both women and their male relatives.

The situation is particularly dire for women and girls fleeing domestic violence or facing other forms of gender-based violence. Shelters and support services that were previously available have been closed or appropriated by the Taliban, leaving survivors with limited options for safety and legal redress.

The international community has expressed strong condemnation of the Taliban's treatment of women and called for the reversal of restrictive policies. However, the effectiveness of these responses in improving the situation for Afghan women remains to be seen.

The future for Afghan women remains uncertain, with the Taliban showing little sign of backing down from their repressive policies. It is clear that the international community must continue to advocate for the rights and protection of Afghan women, but the challenge lies in finding effective strategies that can bring about meaningful change without causing further harm.

The evacuation of Afghans who helped US troops

The Biden administration has faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for the slow pace of evacuations. Some have argued that the administration should have started evacuations earlier and that the current efforts are disorganized. In response, Biden has stated that the Afghan government discouraged mass evacuations to avoid triggering a crisis of confidence. He also emphasized that the US is committed to getting Americans and its Afghan allies out safely and will take all necessary measures to ensure their protection.

As of August 17, 2021, the Pentagon announced plans to evacuate 5,000 to 9,000 people per day from Kabul, with a focus on American citizens and Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas. The US military has maintained control of Hamid Karzai International Airport to facilitate these evacuations. However, challenges remain, including Taliban interference and the difficulty for evacuees in reaching the airport due to checkpoints and crowds.

The Biden administration continues to coordinate with its allies and partners to ensure the safe evacuation of US citizens and vulnerable Afghans. The situation remains fluid, and the success of the evacuation efforts will depend on effective coordination between various government agencies and the ability to secure safe passage for those seeking to leave Afghanistan.

The Taliban's commitments

Allowing the Departure of Foreign Citizens and Afghans:

The Taliban pledged to allow the safe departure of foreign citizens and Afghans who supported foreign troops. The U.S. and its allies conducted a massive airlift, evacuating over 120,000 people, including 5,500 Americans. However, it is estimated that 100-200 Americans remain in Afghanistan, and the Taliban has been accused of blocking land exits and harassing those attempting to leave.

Providing Safe Passage and Respecting Human Rights:

The Taliban has committed to providing safe passage for anyone wishing to leave Afghanistan and respecting the rights of Afghans, including women and girls. However, these commitments have been questioned due to reports of human rights abuses, including the suppression of protests, detention and beating of journalists and activists, and the reinstatement of harsh criminal punishments. The Taliban has denied or disputed many of these reports.

Formation of an Inclusive Government:

The Taliban initially expressed a desire for an inclusive government, but their caretaker government is composed solely of Taliban leaders, excluding women and other political stakeholders. The Taliban has defended this as a necessary measure to maintain internal cohesion and has stated that future governments will be inclusive.

Respecting Religious Minorities:

The Taliban has pledged to respect the rights of religious minorities, specifically mentioning the Hazaras, and has claimed that there will be no discrimination against any ethnic group. However, this pledge has been met with scepticism due to the historical persecution of Hazaras and other minorities by the Taliban.

Allowing Women's Education and Employment:

The Taliban has stated that women have the right to education and work within the framework of Islamic law and cultural norms, including the observance of hijab. However, they have banned girls from attending secondary school and university, and most women from working, with exceptions for sectors like health and education.

Counterterrorism Commitments:

The Taliban has committed to preventing Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorist attacks against other countries. They specifically denied the presence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and pledged to take action if this was found to be the case. However, the presence of al-Qaeda figures in the country has been documented, and experts remain concerned about the Taliban's ties to the group.

Opium Poppy Cultivation Ban:

The Taliban has imposed a ban on opium poppy cultivation, which has been welcomed by the international community. However, the effectiveness of this ban remains to be seen, and there are concerns that it will drive farmers towards illicit cultivation to survive.

Overall, while the Taliban has made commitments in various areas, there are significant concerns about their fulfilment and the group's long-term intentions. The international community is engaging with the Taliban and utilizing various forms of leverage to encourage the fulfilment of these pledges and prevent a return to the harsh rule and isolation of the past.

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