The Forgotten Front: Afghanistan's Invisible War

The war in Afghanistan has been rendered invisible to the American public in a way that no other war in the last century has. Fewer American soldiers have fought in Afghanistan than in any other war in the last century, and successful protocols have minimised military deaths. The war has also received less media coverage than other wars, with journalists facing obstruction from the military and government. The public's interest in the war seems to have declined, and the US military and government have controlled the imagery, message and sentiment surrounding the war to maintain public support.

Fewer American soldiers fought in Afghanistan than in any other war in the last century

The relatively small number of troops deployed to Afghanistan is one of the reasons why the war became "invisible" to the American public. The number of veterans lobbying to keep the war in the public consciousness was also smaller than in previous wars. In the years immediately after World War II, 15% of the population had recently returned from war. Today, it is about 2%.

Another factor was the success of the military in minimising casualties. A series of new medical protocols, advanced battlefield trauma techniques, and rapid medevac capacity created the concept of "the golden hour". This meant that an American soldier was more than five times as likely to be killed in each of the first four wars of the last century than in Afghanistan.

The war in Afghanistan was also a smaller portion of military spending than previous wars. While the US spent about about $2 trillion over 18 years, this was dwarfed by the overall defence budget during that period. Military spending continued to rise, nearing its levels during World War II, even as the US reduced its involvement in Afghanistan.

The war also received less media coverage than previous wars. In recent years, it was the subject of fewer front-page stories in The New York Times than any other war since World War I. After an initial spike in coverage following the September 11 attacks, the war in Afghanistan rarely appeared more than once a week on the front page. Other news organisations also covered Afghanistan less, a product of the war's length and the public's declining interest.

Success at minimising casualties

The success at minimising casualties, particularly military deaths, is due to a series of new military medical protocols. These protocols were honed by experience in the last couple of wars, highly advanced battlefield trauma techniques, and rapid medevac capacity. This has created the concept of "the golden hour", which has been astoundingly successful in saving soldiers' lives. It emphasises getting a wounded soldier to a trauma care facility within an hour and providing immediate first aid to keep them alive until then. As a result, an American soldier was more than five times as likely to be killed in each of the first four wars of the last century than in Afghanistan.

The number of civilian casualties has also been far lower in Afghanistan than in any previous war involving American forces. However, the United States has still killed civilians throughout the war in Afghanistan, something even their Afghan allies have criticised.

The low number of casualties in Afghanistan is in stark contrast to the high financial cost of the war. The United States has spent about $2 trillion over 18 years, more than $100 billion per year. This amount is dwarfed by the overall defence budget during that period, which has continued to rise, nearing its levels during World War II.

A smaller portion of military spending

The war in Afghanistan has been every bit as expensive as any other war in the last 75 years, except for World War II. The US has spent approximately $2 trillion over 18 years, or more than $100 billion per year. However, this amount is minuscule compared to the overall defence budget during that period. Military spending has continued to rise, even as the US has reduced its involvement in Afghanistan, nearing its levels during World War II.

Much of the money has gone into expensive, high-tech projects, such as the $400 billion F-35. Foreign policy priorities have also shifted to the Persian Gulf and the South China Sea, requiring expensive naval deployments at a time when both China and Russia are also spending heavily on projecting power and influence in new regions.

The US government disbursed almost $73 billion in military aid to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2020, which was almost 20 times the amount of Afghanistan's own military expenditure. Despite the US providing equipment, training, services, funding for salaries, infrastructure, and more, it took the Taliban just over four months to take over Afghanistan and control Kabul after the announcement in April 2021 that NATO's Resolute Support Mission would end.

The affordability of the Afghan military over the past two decades, irrespective of its effectiveness, was highly dependent on US support. With the end of US military aid, it is unclear how the Afghan military will be funded in the future. China, Russia, and Turkey are a few countries that observers mention as being prepared to fill the void left by the US and its allies.

Lack of public interest

The war in Afghanistan has been rendered invisible to the American public due to several factors, including a lack of public interest. Here is an analysis of how this lack of interest contributed to the conflict becoming an "invisible war":

Fewer Troops and Veterans:

The number of American soldiers who have fought in Afghanistan is significantly lower compared to other wars in the last century. Approximately 12,000 US soldiers remain in Afghanistan, with a total of about 600,000 having served there over 18 years. This is less than a quarter of those who fought in Vietnam and about half of those deployed to Iraq. As a result, there are also fewer veterans, and living veterans play a crucial role in keeping the public aware and engaged in ongoing wars. With fewer veterans, the American public's sense of the war's presence has diminished over time.

Minimizing Casualties:

The success of the US military in minimizing casualties, especially military deaths, has contributed to the war's invisibility. Advanced medical protocols, such as the "golden hour" concept, have significantly reduced soldier fatalities. As a result, an American soldier in Afghanistan was more than five times less likely to be killed compared to the first four wars of the last century. Additionally, fewer civilian deaths have occurred in Afghanistan than in previous wars involving US forces. This reduction in casualties has made it easier for the public to distance themselves from the human cost of the war.

Media and Press Blackout:

The media's coverage of the war in Afghanistan has decreased significantly over time. After an initial spike following the September 11 attacks, the conflict in Afghanistan rarely made front-page news. The length of the war and the public's declining interest led to a reduction in foreign bureaus and reporters in Kabul. Additionally, the US military restricted media access, keeping journalists away from the action and dismissing questions about casualties and tactics. This lack of media presence contributed to the war becoming "invisible" to the American public.

Shifting Foreign Policy Priorities:

The US's foreign policy priorities shifted away from Afghanistan to regions like the Persian Gulf and the South China Sea. These new areas of focus demanded expensive naval commitments, diverting attention and resources from Afghanistan. As the US reduced its involvement, the war slipped further from the public's attention.

Public Apathy:

Americans, in general, did not want to fight or die in Afghanistan, and they also grew weary of hearing about it. This apathy, coupled with the lack of media coverage and the absence of a clear overarching purpose for the war, contributed to the public's declining interest. The war in Afghanistan became a "'forgotten war,' with the American public preferring to ignore it rather than seek out information.

In summary, the lack of public interest in the war in Afghanistan was a result of various factors, including fewer troops and veterans, successful casualty minimization, restricted media access, shifting foreign policy priorities, and a general apathy among Americans towards the conflict. This lack of interest contributed significantly to Afghanistan becoming an "invisible war."

Media blackout

The war in Afghanistan has been rendered invisible to the American public for a variety of reasons, including a lack of interest and a media blackout.

Journalists have faced many challenges in reporting on the war in Afghanistan, with limited access to troops and combat zones. During the early days of the war, Western journalists were able to travel with the Northern Alliance and embed with local Afghan warlords, providing independent verification of events on the ground. However, as the US committed more troops and took a more active role in combat, journalists were increasingly kept at a distance.

In the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Pentagon announced a large-scale program to embed journalists with troops, which soon spread to Afghanistan, puncturing some of the secrecy that had characterized the early days of the war. Embedding with military units provided journalists with unique perspectives and access to troops, but it also meant they had less time to investigate the bigger questions of the war, such as the money spent and abuses that may have occurred.

Over time, interest in embedding with troops and opportunities from the military dwindled in tandem. Trust eroded to the point that US trainers wouldn't step onto a firing range with Afghan sharpshooters unless their guns were loaded with blanks. The US public became increasingly amenable to ignoring the war, and journalists faced challenges in accessing information and troops. The Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby, acknowledged the discontent, attributing it to commanders' concerns about Taliban attacks and a shortage of press officers.

As the United States rushed to remove its troops from Afghanistan, the Pentagon imposed a de-facto press blackout on their departure. They ignored requests for embeds and interviews, and even kept the departure of the last American commander, General Austin Scott Miller, a secret. This obfuscation was perhaps due to the lack of victory to declare, as the Taliban surged back to seize control of districts and carry out revenge killings.

The media blackout extended beyond the withdrawal, with the military turning off the electricity and leaving Bagram Airfield in the dead of night, only for the base to be looted by locals. The confusion and chaos surrounding the US departure from Bagram, and Afghanistan more broadly, made it difficult for journalists to report on the situation and provide coherent narratives to the public.

Frequently asked questions