Trump's Legacy: The Afghan Blame Game

The fall of Afghanistan has been blamed on several political figures, including former US President Donald Trump. In February 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a peace deal and withdrawal plan with the Taliban, excluding the Afghan government from these talks. This deal has been criticised for undermining the Afghan government, releasing 5,000 Taliban fighters, and not enforcing basic principles of self-government for the Afghan people. Trump's former defence secretary, Mark Esper, also blamed Trump for withdrawing troops against the advice of military advisers. Trump himself has bragged about starting the withdrawal process, stating that the Biden administration couldn't stop the process.

Trump negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban in 2020

In February 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban, which set the stage for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. The agreement, signed in Doha, Qatar, outlined a timetable for the final withdrawal of US forces from the country within 14 months.

The deal was the result of nine rounds of talks over 18 months and included the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners. In exchange, the Taliban agreed to stop attacking US troops and to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorists. They also agreed to start peace talks with the Afghan government and consider a ceasefire.

However, the deal has been criticised for being overly favourable to the Taliban. There was no enforcement mechanism to ensure the Taliban kept their word, and the group did not have to denounce al-Qaeda. The deal also undermined the Afghan government, which was excluded from the negotiations.

As a result, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan occurred much faster than anticipated, with the US-backed government collapsing within a matter of days. This has led to questions about whether the deal and the decisions that followed did enough to protect Afghanistan once US troops withdrew.

He excluded the Afghan government from talks

The decision to exclude the Afghan government from the peace talks with the Taliban was a crucial mistake in the Trump administration's handling of the situation in Afghanistan. This exclusion set the stage for the current withdrawal while limiting the Biden administration's options.

The Trump administration negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban in February 2020 that excluded the Afghan government. This agreement set a date certain for the withdrawal of American troops and resulted in the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters, including the Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, from a Pakistani prison.

The exclusion of the Afghan government from these negotiations undermined the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and led to a loss of faith in the government in Kabul among local and regional leaders. This, in turn, quickly led to deals to lay down their arms to the emboldened mujahideen.

The Trump administration's deal with the Taliban was flawed from the start. There was no way to enforce it or make sure that the Taliban kept its word. The deal did not include a denunciation of al-Qaeda terrorists and did not mandate that the Taliban stop attacks against Afghan security forces.

The exclusion of the Afghan government from the peace talks had far-reaching consequences and limited the options available to the Biden administration. It is clear that the troop withdrawal announcement made the collapse of the dispirited government forces predictable.

The decision to exclude the Afghan government from the peace talks was a critical mistake that contributed to the current crisis in Afghanistan.

He released 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison

On February 29, 2020, the Trump administration agreed to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for up to 1,000 prisoners from the other side. This was part of a deal made with the Taliban to pursue peace in Afghanistan. The agreement also included pledges that the U.S. would withdraw its troops by May 1, 2021, and that the Taliban would not allow Afghanistan to be used as a base to threaten U.S. security.

The Taliban prisoners were held by the Afghan government, which was not consulted about the prisoner exchange. Despite this, the Afghan government eventually agreed to release the prisoners. In March 2020, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said he would issue a decree outlining the process for releasing prisoners. By August 2020, the Afghan government had released all but about 400 Taliban prisoners, each of whom had been accused of major crimes. On August 9, 2020, Ghani announced he would sign a decree to release the remaining 400 prisoners, and the prisoner exchange was completed in early September 2020.

The release of prisoners paved the way for the beginning of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. However, these talks never made substantial progress. On August 15, 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, leading to a dangerous situation for Americans and U.S. allies trying to evacuate.

Some have argued that Trump's decision to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners contributed to the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. Sen. Mitt Romney, for example, blamed both the Trump and Biden administrations for the chaotic events that swept Afghanistan, stating that "we're in the position we're in right now because of terrible decisions made by two administrations." He specifically cited the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners as one of those decisions, saying it "led to what you're seeing and the danger that exists".

He undermined the Afghan government

In February 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban that excluded the Afghan government. This agreement freed 5,000 imprisoned Taliban soldiers and set a date for the final withdrawal of US troops.

The exclusion of the Afghan government from these talks helped set the stage for the current withdrawal while limiting the Biden administration's options. It also helped to undermine the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, leading to a loss of faith in the government in Kabul among local and regional leaders.

The deal with the Taliban was flawed from the start, and Trump's own officials have since sought to distance themselves from it. The deal did not include a denunciation of al-Qaeda terrorists, nor did it mandate that the Taliban stop attacks against Afghan security forces.

The agreement also provided significant legitimacy to the Taliban, whose leaders met with Mike Pompeo, the first Secretary of State to have such interactions.

Trump's deal with the Taliban was just a "play", and he actually intended to keep some US troops in Afghanistan for counterterrorism purposes.

He withdrew troops against the advice of military advisers

The fall of Afghanistan has been blamed on both the Biden and Trump administrations. Trump's former defense secretary, Mark Esper, blamed him for continuing to withdraw troops against the advice of military advisers. Trump's deal with the Taliban, negotiated by his administration, has been criticised for excluding the Afghan government, releasing 5,000 Taliban fighters, and setting a date for the withdrawal of American troops.

In November 2020, Trump was expected to cut a significant number of US troops in Afghanistan and a smaller number in Iraq by the end of his presidency. This decision went against the advice of military commanders over the past year, although it still fell short of Trump's goal to end America's long wars. The plan was to leave 2,500 troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, meaning that President-elect Joe Biden would be the fourth president to deal with the conflicts.

Trump's new Pentagon chief, Christopher Miller, hinted at the troop withdrawals, stating:

> "We remain committed to finishing the war that al-Qaida brought to our shores in 2001. We must avoid our past strategic error of failing to see the fight through to the finish. [...] This fight has been long, our sacrifices have been enormous, and many are weary of war — I’m one of them. Ending wars requires compromise and partnership. We met the challenge; we gave it our all. Now, it’s time to come home."

However, the accelerated withdrawal went against the advice of Trump's military leadership, including Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the top US commander for the Middle East. They argued that a hasty withdrawal could undercut ongoing peace negotiations between the Taliban and representatives of Afghan society, including the Afghan government. They also warned that US forces should remain in the country to keep Islamic State militants in check.

Trump's last-minute bid to pull US forces from Afghanistan and other regions before Biden's inauguration was not successful. Biden pushed ahead with the withdrawal, despite the Taliban's non-compliance with the agreement and stated goal to create an "Islamic government".

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