**The Long War In Afghanistan: Achievements And Legacies**

The War in Afghanistan was the longest war in the military history of the United States, lasting from 2001 to 2021. It was a direct response to the September 11 attacks, and began when an international military coalition led by the US launched an invasion of Afghanistan, declaring Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the war on terror.

The US and its allies drove the Taliban from power and built military bases near major cities across the country. The Taliban regrouped and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive, which overthrew the Islamic Republic, and re-established the Islamic Emirate.

The war killed an estimated 176,000–212,000+ people, including 46,319 civilians. While more than 5.7 million former refugees returned to Afghanistan after the 2001 invasion, by the time the Taliban returned to power in 2021, 2.6 million Afghans remained refugees, while another 4 million were internally displaced.

The US achieved its minimal counterterrorism objectives

The US entered Afghanistan with the objective of defeating al-Qaeda and preventing future attacks on the US. In this regard, the US achieved its minimal counterterrorism objectives.

Al-Qaeda has been decimated and its global network has been weakened. Afghanistan has not been used as a staging ground for another attack on US soil. The US also gained valuable knowledge about the group, although it was not enough to assure the American people that another attack could be prevented.

The US also wanted to eliminate the possibility of Afghanistan becoming a sanctuary for transnational terrorist groups. In the years following the US invasion, Afghan and international forces reduced ISIS-K-controlled territory in Afghanistan by two-thirds and killed around half of their fighters.

However, the extremist ideology of al-Qaeda persists, and there are fears that the Taliban could reestablish a sanctuary for terrorist groups. To preserve its counterterrorism gains, the US has continued to conduct operations in Afghanistan and provide financial support to the Afghan government and its security forces.

The conditions of millions of Afghans improved

Education

• There were more children in school, with millions of children going to school.
• There were more women in schools and the workforce.

Healthcare

• There were improvements in healthcare, with more women giving birth in hospitals, and more children being vaccinated.
• Life expectancy increased.

Governance

• There was a democratically elected government, with more women in parliament.
• There was a constitution in place, with a strong presidential system.
• There was a more stable government, with fewer warlords.

Economy

• There was a stronger economy, with more trade and investment.
• There was a stronger currency.
• There was more infrastructure, with more roads and bridges.
• There was more access to electricity and clean water.

The Afghan National Army is improving

The Afghan National Army (ANA) is the land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The ANA was established in 2002 by President Hamid Karzai, who issued a decree to re-establish a unified army. The ANA has been trained by the US and other NATO allies.

The ANA has been plagued by poor cohesion, illiteracy, corruption, and abuse. In 2019, the ANA had approximately 180,000 soldiers out of an authorized strength of 195,000. However, a significant portion of the ANA's manpower was made up of ghost soldiers.

The ANA has been criticized for its lack of motivation and incompetence. In 2015, the ANA was criticized for its inability to operate without high-tech air and ground support from foreign allies. In 2021, the ANA largely disintegrated in the face of a rapid Taliban offensive. Following the escape of President Ashraf Ghani and the fall of Kabul, remaining ANA soldiers either deserted their posts or surrendered to the Taliban.

However, the ANA has made some improvements. In 2011, the ANA was composed of 43% Pashtuns, 32% Tajiks, 12% Hazaras, 8% Uzbeks, and the rest were smaller ethnic groups of Afghanistan. The ANA has also been successful in recruiting women. The first female Afghan parachutist, Khatol Mohammadzai, became the first female general in the ANA in 2002.

The ANA has also been successful in training and advising. The ANA Ground Force Command, under a lieutenant general, directed the regional ground forces corps and the 111th Capital Division. The ANA Special Operations Command was established in 2011 to control the Commando Brigade and the ANA Special Forces. The ANA has also been successful in training and advising the Afghan Air Force.

The Taliban's operational capacity was disrupted

However, the Taliban adapted and exploited vulnerabilities in the Afghan forces' posture. They took advantage of the dispersed nature of the Afghan checkpoints and outposts, isolating them and disrupting ground lines of communication. This disrupted the resupply of these outposts, leading to a lack of food, water, and ammunition for Afghan forces, impacting their morale and operational effectiveness. The Taliban's strategy of isolating and targeting checkpoints put a strain on the already overstretched Afghan Air Force, which faced maintenance issues and grounded aircraft.

The Taliban also faced disruptions due to a lack of technical expertise to operate some captured equipment, such as Black Hawk helicopters and military encrypted radios. Their capacity to maintain equipment was limited, relying on cannibalization, online resources, and coerced mechanics. Despite these disruptions, the Taliban received economic and military support from countries like Pakistan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. This support, along with their ability to adapt and exploit weaknesses, allowed them to maintain and, at times, expand their operational capacity during the war.

The war in Afghanistan also had broader impacts on the Taliban's operational capacity. The presence of international forces and the disruption of al-Qaida's network weakened the global threat posed by terrorist organizations. The war prevented Afghanistan from being used as a staging ground for attacks against the US and its allies. Additionally, the war effort led to the development of new counter-terrorism strategies and intelligence efforts, making it harder for terrorist groups to plan and execute attacks without detection.

Overall, while the Taliban's operational capacity was disrupted in certain aspects, they proved resilient and adaptable, exploiting weaknesses in their foes and leveraging external support to maintain their influence and continue their campaign.

The US failed to establish a stable national government

The US entered Afghanistan following the 9/11 terror attacks, with the aim of countering terrorism and preventing future attacks on US soil. However, despite their involvement in the country for nearly two decades, the US failed to establish a stable national government in Afghanistan.

One of the main reasons for this failure was the presence and influence of independent militias and warlords in the country. These power brokers dominated many regions and operated with effective independence, beyond political accountability and the rule of law. The US-led NATO agenda relied on these militias for security, and it proved challenging to integrate them into a centralised constitutional framework. While there were attempts to fold them into a more standardised state and military structure, these efforts were not accompanied by a push for accountability or an end to corruption.

The design of the Afghan state was also influenced by the interests of the US and its counterterrorism objectives, rather than the needs and desires of the Afghan people. The US-backed Afghan government ultimately collapsed with the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, demonstrating the failure to establish a durable and stable government.

Furthermore, the continuous influx of foreign influence and support for the Taliban, including economic and military ties, hindered the establishment of a stable government. Pakistan, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain provided various forms of support to the Taliban, complicating the political and security landscape in Afghanistan.

The US also faced challenges in building a functional and well-trained Afghan military. Despite efforts to increase troop numbers, such as the surge of US troops in 2008, the Afghan army struggled with retention and training. Incidents such as the "Shinwar massacre" in 2007, where US Marines killed civilians, further damaged relations between US forces and the local population.

Overall, the US failed to establish a stable national government in Afghanistan due to a combination of factors, including the influence of militias, a mismatch between US and Afghan interests, foreign support for the Taliban, and challenges in building a capable Afghan military.

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