The Enduring War In Afghanistan: America's Longest Conflict

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in American history, lasting 20 years. It began in October 2001 and ended in August 2021.

The war in Afghanistan was twice as long as the Vietnam War, which was previously America's longest war. However, some argue that the Cold War, which lasted 40 years, or the War on Drugs, which has lasted even longer, should be considered America's longest wars.

The war in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of thousands of American service members and tens of thousands of Afghans. It also cost the United States over $2 trillion.

The US-led forces toppling of the Taliban regime

In late October, Northern Alliance forces began to overtake a series of towns formerly held by the Taliban. The forces worked with US assistance but defied US wishes when, on November 13, they marched into Kabul as the Taliban retreated without a fight. Kandahar, the largest city in southern Afghanistan and the Taliban's spiritual home, fell on December 6, marking the end of Taliban power. It had been besieged by a force led by Karzai that moved in from the north and one commanded by Gul Agha Sherzai that advanced from the south; both operated with heavy assistance from the US.

As the Taliban leadership retreated into Afghanistan's rural areas and across the border to Pakistan, anti-Taliban figures convened at a United Nations (UN)-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany. With behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the US, Karzai was selected to lead the country on an interim basis.

The US's longest war

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in American history, lasting 20 years.

The war began in October 2001, after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, and ended in August 2021. The US invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government, which had hosted al-Qaeda militants responsible for the attacks.

However, some argue that the war was not a continuous 20-year campaign but a series of "one-year wars fought 20 times", with constantly shifting strategies and goals.

The US-led war resulted in significant losses for all sides, with thousands of civilian casualties and over 2,400 American service members killed. The financial cost of the war is estimated to be over $2 trillion, with the cost of caring for veterans expected to peak after 2048.

The war ended with the Taliban retaking control of Afghanistan and the US evacuating its citizens and allies.

The Taliban's rule in Afghanistan

The Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun, Islamic fundamentalist group, returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 after being ousted by US-led forces in 2001. Their harsh interpretation of Islamic law has resulted in the rollback of women's rights and neglect of basic services. The Taliban have banned most girls from attending secondary school, prohibited women from working, and prevented them from travelling without a male chaperone. They have also restricted freedom of expression, with journalists facing arbitrary arrests and detentions for expressing views critical of the Taliban.

The Taliban's economic policies have had a detrimental impact on the country. The economy has floundered, with malnutrition soaring and hundreds of thousands of jobs lost. The group has held investment talks with regional countries, but the international community has withheld formal recognition and aid due to concerns over human rights abuses. The World Bank reported that the local currency, the afghani, gained value, and revenue collection was described as "healthy". However, the economy remains on the verge of collapse due to sanctions and the termination of development aid.

In terms of security, the Taliban have improved domestic security by cracking down on armed groups such as the Islamic State. However, the Islamic State remains a threat and has carried out deadly attacks on civilians and government targets.

Overall, the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan has been characterised by repression, economic struggles, and security challenges. Their policies have had a devastating impact on the lives of Afghans, particularly women and girls, and the country faces a dire humanitarian crisis.

The chaotic withdrawal of US forces

The Kabul airport was a chaotic mess in the weeks leading up to the US withdrawal as Afghans tried to flee the country. People chased a US Air Force plane, with some even hanging on as it took off and fell to their deaths. A suicide bombing killed 13 US service members.

The White House had promised a full accounting of what went wrong, but those reports are still not complete. John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, told NPR that no military operation is flawless. He emphasized the lives saved during the withdrawal, noting that more than 124,000 Americans and Afghans were moved to safety over 17 days during the evacuation.

The withdrawal of US troops was completed on the night of August 30, shortly before the midnight deadline, and America's longest war came to a definitive end.

The Biden Administration's Response

Biden said his administration made the right decision in ending US military involvement in Afghanistan, arguing that the counterterrorism mission was complete. However, he acknowledged that the troop withdrawal had been "messy" and blamed Afghan security forces for failing to counter the Taliban.

Biden defended his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, affirming his view that following through on the withdrawal was the correct decision. He said that after nearly 20 years of war, it was clear that the US military could not transform Afghanistan into a modern democracy.

The Impact of the Withdrawal

The Taliban takeover led tens of thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals to rush to the international airport in Kabul. Many had fought the Taliban or had supported Afghan or NATO forces. In the last few weeks before the August 31 deadline, the US focused its attention on evacuating refugees. With the joint goal of seeing the US withdrawal to its completion, the evacuation included some level of cooperation from the Taliban, which facilitated the movement of evacuees and provided security en route to the airport facilities.

The withdrawal of US troops left Afghanistan, and tens of thousands of Afghan allies, abandoned to the Taliban. An estimated 200,000 Afghans who were unable to get out now face retaliation from the Taliban.

The US's longest war ending

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in American history, lasting 20 years. In April 2021, President Biden made the decision to end this war and set an exit date of August 31st for American troops to withdraw. This decision came as the war had cost America trillions of dollars and the lives of 2,461 American personnel.

The war began in October 2001 when President Bush declared a "war on terror" and invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government, which had been sheltering al-Qaeda militants responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban regime quickly unravelled, and by November 2001, the UN had passed a resolution to establish a transitional administration.

However, the war continued for nearly two decades, with the US attempting to stabilise Afghanistan and nurture democracy and the rule of law. This proved challenging due to corruption, human rights abuses, and the strong presence of the Taliban in rural areas. Additionally, the US faced criticism for its counterinsurgency tactics, which resulted in civilian casualties.

By the time Biden came into office, the Taliban was in its strongest position since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country. Biden was faced with a choice: follow through on the previous administration's agreement to withdraw or send in more troops and escalate the war. He chose the former, and the last US troops departed Afghanistan on August 30th, 2021, leaving the country under Taliban rule.

The end of the war in Afghanistan marked a shift in US foreign policy, with Biden stating that the US would focus on diplomacy and economic tools rather than "endless military deployments" to achieve its goals. He emphasised that the primary goal was to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorist attacks on America, and this could be achieved without a ground war.

The war in Afghanistan had a significant impact on the country, with improvements in areas such as women's rights, education, and healthcare. However, these gains are now under threat with the Taliban back in power. The US-led war also resulted in a high number of casualties, with tens of thousands of Afghan civilians, military and police personnel, and opposition fighters losing their lives.

The withdrawal of US troops was not without controversy, as some critics argued that it should have been handled differently and the rapid collapse of the Afghan government took many by surprise. Nevertheless, the war's end brought an end to two decades of American military involvement in Afghanistan and signalled a shift in US strategy away from "major military operations to remake other countries".

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