fall of Kabul

In ending the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. belittled and sidelined its partner in favor of engaging with the enemy. The result can hardly be called a success.

For some, Taliban rule means a life in hiding. For others, it brought a long-awaited homecoming. Still others are just hoping for a lasting peace.

Zahra Joya and Shanthie D’Souza unpack the Taliban regime, its suppression of women and minorities, and the wider consequences of its rule on global terror and geopolitics.

A sizable contingent of Nepali contractors provided security for U.S. personnel in Kabul. For them, the withdrawal meant a dangerous evacuation – and sudden unemployment.

Since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, the Taliban have entrenched themselves in power and common Afghans have been driven into abject destitution.

The brief document was drafted by the National Security Council, rather than by an independent entity, with input from Biden himself.

Journalist Torpekai Amarkhel was among dozens of asylum seekers who died when their boat capsized near Italy. Her story encapsulates how the world has failed the Afghan people.

One of the more damning reports as the Afghan government collapsed was that President Ghani fled with a helicopter stuffed with cash. That was unlikely.

Can the international community continue to recognize Afghanistan without recognizing the Taliban?

At least 100 Indians are waiting to be evacuated from Afghanistan, with New Delhi offering little help or information.

Three different segments of Pakistan's socio-political fabric are happy to see the Taliban retake power in Afghanistan – each for a different reason.

Put together, these two seemingly unrelated developments signal a new U.S. strategy in the competition with China.

Washington has repeatedly intervened in other nations, with ostensibly good intentions. Yet it has achieved none of its purported foreign policy goals.

There have been many references to the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam as an important historical analogy for today’s Afghanistan. A better analogy is Cambodia.

The U.S. is far from blameless, but it is not solely responsible for the Taliban's rapid takeover.

Western nations should swiftly move to restrict the space, capability, authority of the new Taliban regime in Kabul.

Insights from Elizabeth Threlkeld.

The opposing sides of Myanmar’s political crisis are projecting their own fantasies onto the fall of Kabul.

What unfolds in Kabul could have far-reaching implications for New Zealand’s geopolitical position.

A conversation about the last 20 years in Afghanistan.

“They have handed our country the way you hand over a book or a bottle of water... We were happy for the war to end, but we didn’t expect the end to be like this.”

Despite the intention to refocus U.S. energy and attention on the Asia-Pacific, difficult questions remain as to the benefits for U.S. China policy.

After the fall of Kabul, there will be an element of doubt surrounding U.S. commitments in the Indo-Pacific.

The impact of Taliban rule on the country's security situation is unclear, but is likely to be less marked than in the 1980s and 1990s.