U.S. War in Afghanistan

The chaos of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan has become politicized. But the blame stretches back decades, through both Republican and Democratic administrations.

The terror attacks on September 11, 2001, seemingly changed the trajectory of Afghanistan’s history. But today, the country in many ways is back to the status quo ante – except for the thousands of lives lost to war. 

The United States “overestimated the power that the U.S. military could bring to bear in changing Afghanistan.”

"Getting into another warlike situation with the Taliban is unlikely to improve the plight of ordinary Afghans or the nature of Afghanistan’s reality today."

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.

Why millions of dollars in international aid – much of it from the U.S. – failed to achieve lasting change for Afghanistan’s women.

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

The Taliban’s blitz to power in Afghanistan has left them in possession of a veritable arsenal of U.S. weaponry intended for the defunct government. Are captured weapons a strategic game-changer?

While the disaster unfolding in Afghanistan will have many negative consequences, it will not by itself cause the end of U.S. strategic pre-eminence in the Asia-Pacific region.

The war in Vietnam showed the abject failure of nation-building – and the imperial logic behind such efforts. But the U.S. repeated its mistake in Afghanistan.

Subsequent flights are due to bring more of the roughly 700 applicants who are farthest along in the process of getting visas.

Afghans who assisted U.S. forces are eligible for a special immigrant visa, but the process, hogtied by legislation and reporting requirements, has been backlogged for a decade.

U.S. forces are reportedly days away from completing the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Central Asian diplomats are making the rounds in Washington, DC.

Officials acknowledge that the withdrawal so far has largely involved removing or otherwise disposing of mountains of equipment. 

As the U.S. embarks on its final withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban moved to strike provincial centers and peace talks remain stalled.

The government says the army can hold its own, but military experts warn of a tough fight ahead.

"If such a step is taken, then the responsibility for all the misfortunes and difficulties lies upon those who commit such mistakes.”

If guarantees of preserving progress in women’s rights are not included in any potential political settlement, they remain prone to reverses. 

Khalilzad argued that the Taliban have reason not to push for a military victory and instead pursue a negotiated political settlement.

It’s worth revisiting the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, in light of the United States’ current withdrawal plan.

As Washington reviews the special immigrant visa process, Afghan interpreters who worked with the U.S. military grow increasingly worried that time is running out.

A temporary truce to mark the end of Ramadan mostly held, allowing Afghans to celebrate in relative peace.

Military commanders have said that additional forces will flow in temporarily to help with security and logistics for the drawdown.

Warlords are a volatile group and with uncertainty looming in Afghanistan, these strongmen may look to protect their own interests first.