On August 30, the war in Afghanistan ended. America had managed to evacuate some 123,000 civilians from Kabul, including 6,000 American citizens. Today, the Taliban rule Afghanistan once again. The twenty-year war had a high cost. Some 2,461 US soldiers and civilians were killed. Just last week a terrorist bombing killed 13 service members at the Kabul airport. President Biden on August 31, 2021 persuasively spurned condemnation of his decision to end America’s war in Afghanistan, saluting what he claimed as the “extraordinary success” of the evacuation of Kabul. He declared the close of an era in which the US employed military power “to remake other countries.”[1]
Biden maintained that:[2]
The costs to the United States would have been even higher if he had allowed the nation to remain mired for years in a civil war that has dragged on for decades. …the only alternative to the departure he oversaw was another escalation of the war.
Biden also offered an indication of a different US foreign policy in the post-9/11 world, in which he would be channeled more by rivalry with Russia and China.[3]
Meanwhile, thousands of people who were eligible to be evacuated have been left behind. The UN Security Council has passed a resolution on August 30, 2021 emphasizing that it expects the Taliban to keep its promises to let people leave.
Earlier in July, Biden had assured that it was “highly unlikely” that Taliban would control Afghanistan. But on August 15 the Taliban took over control of Kabul and the US speeded up the airport evacuation. The Taliban victory has diminished President Biden’s reputation. The hectic evacuation in Kabul wasn’t entirely without tragedy. An American drone strike on August 29 killed a suicide bomber and 10 civilians.
To be fair, despite the botched exit, Biden was only acting in American national interests. A vast majority of American people (CBS News/YouGov survey) people wanted the war to end. However, a very large number still bemoan the messy exit.
Emirate Recognition?
So far, no government has recognized the Emirate. A de facto recognition of the Emirate by the US had already happened. The de jure recognition is problematic, however. The US and NATO have set tough conditions for the Emirate’s recognition. This is a mistake as a minimalist approach is required. Perceptions matter in the conduct of international relations. The US and NATO have been defeated and disgraced. Most importantly, it is pertinent to remember that Western notions of human rights are not universal and there are many who have different understandings of how best to organize societies. The US is no more the global hegemon and there is nothing exceptional about it. The world has changed, and America has lost its standing in the world. It has declined relative to China. Therefore, undue pressure on the Taliban can backfire as they will go on a defiance mode. The Taliban will stick to their legacy, no matter what the US and NATO desire. If recognition is withheld, the Emirate may collapse which will have a spillover effect on the region and destabilize it. For this reason alone, it is advisable that the Emirate be recognized, and immediate humanitarian assistance be forthcoming. A collapse of the Emirate is in no one’s national interest. Pragmatic action is required now. The Taliban be given a chance to establish their Emirate. Much depends on Biden’s promise to chart a new global reset of American power.
US-Pakistan Relations?
The key to securing Afghanistan is for US to mend the strained relations with Pakistan. Given the support that Pakistan gave to the Taliban in the past, the trust deficit between the countries is remarkably high. However, the two countries are most likely to cooperate at a certain level to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan. Pakistan has gained the most from developments in Afghanistan. Also, its rival, India, has lost considerably because it wrongly supported Ghani’s corrupt and ineffective government, and vehemently opposed Taliban.
Afghanistan has made the US much more reliant on Pakistan than ever before. The US will now seek to mend relations with Pakistan. Biden administration has praised Pakistan’s efforts in the special assistance in evacuation operations.
Graham said on August 28 that any “sustainable solution” in Afghanistan must include Pakistan. He appreciated Pakistan’s assistance with the Kabul evacuation. Earlier, Graham had expressed his surprise at Biden’s decision of not including Pakistan in withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. Recently, Pakistan Foreign Minister said that Pakistan wanted to forge closer linkages with America. There is now a convergence of national interest in making sure that Afghanistan remains peaceful, secure, and stable. Therefore, both countries will cooperate to ensure that it happens.
Path Forward
Remember, the US partnered with the Taliban to end the war. The Biden administration shouldn’t sabotage the new working relationship with the Taliban. Most importantly, the Jihadist mindset of the ISIS-K cannot be easily ended. Given the powerful Jihadist legacy and radical Islamic ideology, this shall remain a big challenge for the entire region. Most troubling is the ISIS-K’s caliphate project which stretches beyond West Asia. The Taliban were never a global jihadist entity, not even a regional one. They are an Afghanistan phenomenon. The Taliban are no angels although they are considerably moderate now.
The US and NATO must now establish a regional comprehensive security arrangement for Afghanistan. They must also recognize the Emirate soon. China, Turkey, Russia, Qatar, and Pakistan will soon do it. Only regional cooperation can bring needed stability to Afghanistan.
Already, Germany has announced humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The US will follow, too.
Meanwhile, Biden’s opponents are vehemently blasting him. On August 29 Senator Graham condemned Biden and said:
For the next 20 years, American presidents will be dealing with this catastrophe in Afghanistan…Biden should be impeached for “dereliction of duty.”
Such unwarranted attacks portray the politics of a divided America in which partisan politics is a permanent affair, largely because of the continuous cycle of elections.
A bipartisan commission must now be formed, like the 9/11 commission, to ascertain the mistakes of the Afghan war. Arguably, the whole Afghan war project was a colossal mistake. Certainly, Biden was right in partnering with the Taliban to end the war without much loss of lives. Overall, the strategy was successful. A rethink of America’s West Asia policy must now happen. Recognize the Iranian Republic and return to the nuclear deal.
Dr. Sohail Mahmood is an Independent Political Analyst based in Chapel Hill NC.
[1] Michael D. Shear and Jim Tankersley, Biden Defends Afghan Pullout and Declares an End to Nation-Building, New York Times, August 31, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/us/politics/biden-defends-afghanistan-withdrawal.html
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid