The Elusive End To Afghanistan's Perpetual War

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in American history, lasting 20 years. The conflict was sparked by the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, which killed almost 3,000 people. In response, the US, supported by a coalition of allies, invaded Afghanistan to target the perpetrators of the attacks and anyone who aided them. The war ended in August 2021, with the US evacuating over 120,000 people from Kabul airport.

The war's conclusion was chaotic, with the Taliban retaking the country as the US withdrew. This outcome has raised questions about the war's purpose and effectiveness. With the Taliban now in control, the future of Afghanistan remains uncertain, particularly regarding human rights, and the country's role in international terrorism.

The US's longest war

The war began in 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks on the United States. The conflict was sparked by al-Qaeda, which planned the 9/11 attacks from Afghanistan. The US invaded Afghanistan to ensure the country would not become a safe haven for international terrorists to attack NATO member countries. The Taliban, which had harboured Osama bin Laden, was overthrown by US-led forces.

The US war in Afghanistan was part of a broader "war on terror" and was authorised by the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). The AUMF empowered the US president to target the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks and anyone who aided them.

Despite the initial success of the invasion, the war in Afghanistan proved protracted and difficult. The US and its allies struggled to stabilise the country and build a strong Afghan military and government. Efforts to combat corruption and human rights abuses were hampered by the need to work with corrupt and abusive local power brokers. The US also diverted resources and attention to the war in Iraq, which began in 2003.

Over time, the Taliban regrouped and launched a successful insurgency. By the time President Biden announced the withdrawal of US forces in April 2021, the Taliban controlled or contested nearly half the country. The Afghan government and military collapsed rapidly, leading to a chaotic evacuation of US citizens, Afghan allies, and other individuals.

The war in Afghanistan cost the US over $2 trillion and resulted in the deaths of thousands of US service members and tens of thousands of Afghans. The consequences for Afghans continue to be catastrophic, with the Taliban re-imposing its harsh interpretation of Islamic law and restricting the rights of women and girls.

The Taliban's resurgence

Pakistani Support for the Taliban

Pakistan has a long history of supporting the Taliban, dating back to the 1980s. Pakistani officials saw the anti-Soviet jihad as an opportunity to turn Afghanistan into a satellite state and supported the most fundamentalist mujahideen groups, hoping that they would reject Indian influence and help suppress ethnic nationalism along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. After 9/11, Pakistan became the logistical hub for US forces in Afghanistan, but its military and intelligence services continued to maintain ties with the Taliban. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) used US aid to fund the Taliban, and the US decision to initially ignore the group benefited the ISI. General Hamid Gul, a former head of ISI, publicly stated that ISI used the US aid to defeat the Soviets and then defeat the US.

Withdrawal of US and NATO Troops

The decision by the US and its NATO allies to withdraw troops from Afghanistan left the Afghan security forces without crucial support, including air support, maintenance of military equipment, and intelligence. This put the Afghan forces at a significant disadvantage in their fight against the Taliban, who had prepared for this moment by pre-positioning weapons and planning their offensive. The withdrawal also removed the psychological factor of having US and NATO forces as a deterrent to Taliban attacks.

Weaknesses of the Afghan Government and Security Forces

The Afghan government, led by President Ashraf Ghani, was plagued by corruption and malfeasance, and it ultimately collapsed in the face of the Taliban offensive. The Afghan security forces, despite receiving training and equipment from the US and its allies, were unable to mount an effective defense against the Taliban. This was due in part to poor leadership, a lack of coordination, and low morale among the troops, who felt abandoned by the US and doubted that anyone would come to their rescue. As a result, many Afghan soldiers surrendered or deserted rather than fight the Taliban.

Taliban's Strengths and Strategies

The Taliban had several advantages that contributed to their resurgence, including safe havens in Pakistan, strong ideological motivation, and a disciplined and ruthless approach to warfare. They also exploited the ethnic and political divisions within Afghanistan, gaining support from some groups who felt marginalized by the central government. The Taliban's offensive was well-planned and coordinated, allowing them to quickly capture territory and consolidate their gains.

In summary, the Taliban's resurgence was the result of a combination of factors, including external support, the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, and the weaknesses of the Afghan government and security forces. The Taliban took advantage of these opportunities and were able to exploit the divisions and vulnerabilities within Afghanistan to regain power.

The fall of Kabul

On the 15th of August 2021, the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, was captured by the Taliban. This was the final action of the War in Afghanistan and marked a total victory for the Taliban, reinstating the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under their control.

The US-Taliban deal, signed on the 29th of February 2020, is considered a critical factor in the collapse of the ANSF. The deal included the withdrawal of all NATO forces from Afghanistan in return for counter-terrorism commitments from the Taliban. Following the deal, the US reduced the number of air attacks, depriving the ANSF of a critical edge in fighting the Taliban insurgency.

In the days leading up to the fall of Kabul, thousands of people rushed to the airport in a desperate attempt to escape. The city was convulsed with fear as the country's leadership fled, leaving the Taliban back in the Presidential Palace. The airport remained under NATO and US military control, and between the 14th and 31st of August 2021, the US and its coalition partners evacuated more than 123,000 people from Afghanistan.

The Taliban's victory in Kabul was followed by a crackdown on women's rights and freedoms. Women were forced to wear burqas, banned from travelling without a male guardian, and barred from education and work. The Taliban also started removing female journalists from their positions and censoring advertisements featuring women.

The evacuation of over 120,000 people

The airlift included US citizens, citizens of US allies, and Afghans who had worked with coalition forces. In total, the US evacuated about 82,300 people, including 4,500 US citizens. The UK evacuated 17,000 people, including 5,000 UK citizens, and 2,000 Afghans who had worked for NATO. Canada evacuated 3,700 people, including Canadian citizens, embassy staff, and Afghan citizens who worked with coalition forces. Other countries that conducted evacuation operations include India, South Korea, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Poland.

The evacuation was carried out from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, which remained under NATO control after the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban took control of the city. The evacuation was made more urgent by the speed of the Taliban's advance, which took control of the country much faster than intelligence projections had estimated. The Taliban assisted with the evacuation effort by providing security and screening evacuees.

The evacuation was not without incident. As thousands of fleeing Afghan civilians rushed to Kabul Airport, a chaotic situation developed, with hundreds of people attempting to force their way onto planes. US soldiers fired warning shots to control the crowd, and at least seven people were killed in the chaos. On 26 August, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at the airport, killing 170 people, including 13 US military personnel, and wounding 150 others.

The future of Afghanistan

The US-led war in Afghanistan was the longest war in American history, lasting 20 years. The war began in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with the US and its allies invading Afghanistan to target al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime that was harbouring them. The Taliban was quickly toppled, but the war continued as the US and NATO sought to stabilise the country and prevent it from becoming a safe haven for terrorists again.

In the two decades since the invasion, Afghanistan has seen some progress, particularly in terms of governance and socio-economic development. However, the country remains unstable, with the Taliban making gains in recent years and the presence of other terrorist groups, such as ISIS-K.

The US and NATO forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, citing the need to end the "forever war" and refocus their efforts on more pressing national security threats. The withdrawal was not without controversy, with critics arguing that it was mishandled and left Afghanistan vulnerable to the Taliban.

Following the withdrawal, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for the Taliban to uphold its commitments regarding safe passage for those wishing to leave the country and respect for human rights, particularly for women and minorities. The international community, led by the US, has also pledged to continue providing humanitarian aid and diplomatic support to Afghanistan.

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