In the last 200 years, Western Powers have been drawn to Afghanistan as well, including the former British Empire (Anglo-Afghan Wars) throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries the former Soviet Union (Soviet-Afghan War) from 1978 – 1989 and most recently the US from 2001 – 2021. Its geographical position “sits at the heart of Central Asia, at the meeting point of ancient trade routes – known together as “The Silk Road” – that go out to all parts of Asia.” Invaders unsuccessfully competed for this key region for its access earning Afghanistan the nickname, “Graveyard of Empires.” This guidance calls for the US to “promote a favorable distribution of power to deter and prevent adversaries from directly threatening the US and our allies, inhibiting access to the global commons, or dominating key regions.” Afghanistan has found itself as a “dominating key region” in the great power competition throughout the ages. The White House published Interim National Security Strategic Guidance in March 2021. However, CT operations are surgical in nature and do not influence the broader humanitarian crisis nor assuage harsh Taliban fundamentalist rule over Afghan citizens.ĭeterrence & Access. Compellingly, the US persists in counter-terrorism (CT) operations against these and other known terrorist networks in Afghanistan. Although al Qaeda (AQ) and ISIL-K are very different networks, both are designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the US Department of State, and similar to the Taliban, each follows strict Sunni Islamic fundamentalist ideologies. In August 2021, following the US departure, al Qaeda retained safe haven in Afghanistan, as did a resurgent Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-K) again, under Taliban rule. This is also not accounting for long term latent health issues experienced by New York City residents and First Responders or the US servicemembers, contractors and civilians killed, wounded or affected through overseas deployments over the next 20-years in support of the Global War on Terrorism and subsequent Overseas Contingency Operations. Notwithstanding economic implications, the attacks of 911 resulted in the immediate loss of 2,996 people (including 19 hijackers) and over 6,000 casualties. This sanctuary offered al Qaeda the time and space necessary to plan, coordinate and train for the terrorist attacks of 911 observed, as the deadliest concurrent terrorist attacks in world history. In 1996 a l Qaeda (still in Afghanistan) was granted nənawā́te (Pashto: ننواتې, "sanctuary") by the Taliban. Historic references are used to illuminate similarities to the contemporary environment, and the US Interim National Security Guidance serves a baseline to consider the rationale behind recent foreign policy decisions. In order to better understand the events that led to this and assist decision makers preclude a costly calamity like this in the future, this essay examines three US policy failures consisting of: (1) connection to the conflict (2) mission creep and (3) diplomacy, and how these lessons may shape future US foreign policy and armed conflicts.īefore examining policy failures, this section illuminates three interconnected US national security challenges immediately resultant from the withdrawal: (1) terrorist safe-haven, (2) deterrence and access, and (3) legitimacy and credibility. The great irony is the US capitulated to the very terrorist group it drove from power 20 years earlier, and in doing so, created a pathway to enable the Taliban to recreate the conditions that precipitated 911 to begin with. For defeat brings worse things than any that can ever happen in war.” – Ernest Hemingway “Once we have a war there is only one thing to do. Although cringeworthy and tragic, these recent missteps offer opportunity for reflection and lessons to learn from as did the way the US approached the war in Afghanistan.
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On a global stage, the US orchestrated a series of diplomatic, tactical, and strategic missteps that were all preventable. Unfortunately, the way the US withdrew from Afghanistan appeared as curious as it did haphazard. In these two decades, the US spent over $2 trillion USD and invested over 2,300 in human capital to offer Afghanistan a chance for prosperity. Prior to the withdrawal, US forces had been on the ground in Afghanistan since October 7, 2001. Septemmarked 20 years since the terrorist attacks of Septem(911) and shortly before this solemn commemoration, on August 30, the United States (US) withdrew the last of its military forces from Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA). Afghanistan and the Future of US Foreign Policy