The Unsteady Alliance: A History Of Us-Afghanistan Relations

The United States and Afghanistan have had a complex relationship over the past century, with the former investing billions of dollars in the latter's security forces, roads, government and educational institutions.

The first contact between the two nations occurred in the 1830s when Josiah Harlan, an American adventurer, travelled to the Indian subcontinent with the intention of becoming the King of Afghanistan. Official diplomatic relations were established in 1921, and in 1935, the United States established diplomatic ties with Afghanistan.

However, the relationship between the two countries became strained following the 1978 Saur Revolution, which resulted in the Democratic Republic regime. Although the new regime remained officially non-aligned, its increasing alignment with the Soviet Union caused concern in the United States. This tension culminated in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, which marked a turning point in the Cold War. The United States responded by providing financial and diplomatic support to the anti-Soviet Mujahideen forces, as well as admitting thousands of Afghan refugees for resettlement.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban government in an effort to capture Osama bin Laden, who was believed to be residing in the country. This invasion led to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the reestablishment of its diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. The United States played a leading role in the overall reconstruction of Afghanistan, providing billions of dollars in aid and military support.

In 2012, the United States and Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership agreement, committing both nations to a long-term relationship. However, the relationship between the two countries has continued to evolve, with the United States periodically increasing and decreasing its troop presence in Afghanistan. In 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a conditional peace agreement, which included a provision for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 2021. The withdrawal was completed in August 2021, leaving Afghanistan in the hands of the Taliban.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001

The invasion of Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, with US and UK forces carrying out airstrikes against Taliban targets. This marked the start of Operation Enduring Freedom. The US military received support from the Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban coalition in Afghanistan, as well as other countries including Australia, Canada, France, and Germany.

The invasion of Afghanistan led to the rapid collapse of the Taliban regime. Northern Alliance forces, with US and UK support, captured several towns and cities, including Kabul, the Afghan capital, in November 2001. The Taliban leadership, including Mullah Mohammed Omar, fled the country, and a new transitional government was formed with Hamid Karzai as interim leader.

Despite the swift removal of the Taliban from power, the US and its allies remained in Afghanistan, marking the beginning of a 20-year war. The initial focus was on counter-terrorism operations against remaining al-Qaeda resistance and supporting the new Afghan government. However, the US soon shifted its attention to Iraq, and the reconstruction of Afghanistan was hampered by a lack of resources and coordination. The Taliban gradually regained strength and launched an insurgency against the Afghan government and international forces.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan achieved its immediate goal of toppling the Taliban regime and disrupting al-Qaeda, but it failed to bring lasting peace and stability to the country. The invasion was followed by a prolonged military presence and counterinsurgency efforts that ultimately failed to prevent the Taliban from regaining control of Afghanistan.

The US-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement

The U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement, officially known as the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America, was signed on May 1, 2012, by U.S. President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The agreement was a legally binding executive agreement that provided a long-term framework for the relationship between the two countries after the drawdown of U.S. forces in the Afghanistan War.

The Strategic Partnership Agreement SPA affirmed the mutual respect and shared interests between Afghanistan and the United States. It enshrined commitments to strengthen Afghan sovereignty, stability, prosperity, and a shared goal of defeating Al Qaeda and its extremist affiliates. The agreement covered areas such as protecting and promoting shared democratic values, advancing long-term security, reinforcing regional security and cooperation, social and economic development, and strengthening Afghan institutions and governance.

The SPA did not commit the United States to specific troop levels or funding levels, but it did commit the U.S. to seek funding from Congress annually to support the Afghan National Security Forces and provide social and economic assistance. It also granted U.S. personnel access to and use of Afghan facilities beyond 2014 and designated Afghanistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally, providing a long-term framework for security and defense cooperation.

The SPA was broadened by the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), which was negotiated within a year and resulted in the "Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America" (SADCA) in September 2014. The BSA addressed issues such as immunity for U.S. troops from Afghan prosecution and the legal status of U.S. forces, their operating rules, and their bases in Afghanistan.

The Strategic Partnership Agreement played a crucial role in defining the future relationship between Afghanistan and the United States, solidifying their commitment to shared goals and a vision for Afghanistan's future.

The US-Taliban Doha Agreement

The deal outlined a timetable for the full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by May 2021. In exchange, the Taliban committed to several conditions, including stopping attacks on American and coalition forces, and preventing any group or individual from using Afghan soil to threaten the security of the US and its allies. The Taliban also agreed to engage in intra-Afghan negotiations with other Afghan groups to form a post-settlement government.

The stated objective of the agreement was to promote peace negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Kabul. However, these diplomatic efforts never gained traction, and the Afghan government and its security forces collapsed in August 2021, before a complete US troop withdrawal could be achieved.

The agreement has also been criticised for excluding the American-backed Afghanistan government, and for being filled with ambiguity. Despite its intentions, the deal ultimately led to the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan and the end of America's longest war.

The US-Taliban Peace Agreement

The agreement was a turning point in the 18-year war in Afghanistan and laid out a timetable for the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from the country. The agreement was not a final peace deal but a stepping stone towards a comprehensive settlement of the conflict. It was designed to be mutually dependent on the Afghan peace process.

The agreement addressed four issues:

• Ceasefire: A temporary reduction in violence and a lasting ceasefire among US, Taliban, and Afghan forces as part of intra-Afghan negotiations.
• Withdrawal of foreign forces: The US agreed to reduce its troops in Afghanistan from 12,000 to 8,600 within 135 days. If the Taliban followed through on its commitments, all US and foreign troops would leave within 14 months.
• Intra-Afghan negotiations: The Taliban agreed to start talks with the Afghan government.
• Counterterrorism assurances: The Taliban guaranteed that Afghanistan would not be used by any of its members or terrorist groups to threaten the security of the US and its allies.

The agreement did not call for an immediate ceasefire, and in the days following its signing, the Taliban carried out dozens of attacks on Afghan security forces. The US responded with airstrikes against the Taliban in the southern province of Helmand.

The US-Taliban agreement was conditional on the Taliban preventing any group or individual, including Al-Qaeda, from using Afghan soil to threaten the security of the US and its allies. The Taliban also committed to engaging in intra-Afghan negotiations with other Afghan groups to form a post-settlement government.

The US-Taliban agreement was part of a broader US strategy to end its longest war and pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The agreement was also intended to strengthen US-Afghan ties and improve the lives of the Afghan people.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The withdrawal began on 1 May 2021, and the Taliban launched a nationwide offensive. By 15 August, the Taliban had captured Kabul, forcing the evacuation of US diplomatic personnel. The US officially completed its withdrawal on 30 August, and the Taliban claimed victory.

The US State Department released a report in June 2023 detailing the failings of the withdrawal. It found that decisions made by both the Trump and Biden administrations had detrimental consequences and that there had been damning shortcomings. The report noted that there had been insufficient consideration of worst-case scenarios and that the State Department's participation in evacuation planning had been hindered by a lack of clarity around leadership.

The withdrawal left behind thousands of Afghans who had worked closely with US forces and were at risk of retribution from the Taliban. The US and its allies evacuated over 120,000 people, but many remained in Afghanistan.

The US troop withdrawal was broadly supported by the American public, with 54% saying in August 2021 that the decision was right. However, there was a sharp partisan divide, with 70% of Democrats agreeing compared to 34% of Republicans.

The end of America's longest war raises questions about the success of the overall mission. The US spent billions of dollars supporting the Afghan government and security forces, but the collapse of the government and the Taliban's return to power was a crushing coda to the US military mission.

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