U.S. President advocates for a full withdrawal from Afghanistan.
US Troops Withdraw from Kabul Airport, Leaving Taliban in Control
After more than two decades of military presence, the United States has completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking the end of the longest war in American history. On Tuesday night, the last US aircraft departed from Kabul airport, leaving the Taliban in control of all operations at the airport.
The agreement between the Taliban and the US government regarding troop withdrawal was formalized in the 2020 US-Taliban deal, often called the Doha Agreement. Under this agreement, the US committed to withdraw all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan, contingent on the Taliban fulfilling several key commitments, including cutting ties with terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and preventing Afghanistan from being used as a terrorist base for attacks against the US or its allies.
Following the agreement, the Taliban rapidly expanded control across Afghanistan during the US withdrawal, culminating in their takeover of Kabul in August 2021 and the collapse of the Afghan government. This agreement did not involve the internationally recognized Afghan government initially and was criticized for sidelining key Afghan stakeholders.
President Joe Biden has defended the complete withdrawal of his troops from Afghanistan, stating that 90% of the people who were to be evacuated from Afghanistan have been evacuated. He also stated that the remaining US citizens will have the opportunity to leave if they wish. However, images circulating on the internet show Taliban inspecting abandoned equipment at Kabul airport, including helicopters from the Afghan army.
The departure of the last US aircraft from Kabul airport has raised concerns about the Taliban's intentions and their compliance with the counterterrorism commitments they made in the Doha Agreement. The US had to decide between leaving the country or escalating the situation, a decision that has sparked much debate and criticism.
In summary, the US-Taliban agreement was a conditional promise for complete US troop withdrawal in exchange for Taliban guarantees on counterterrorism commitments. Despite this, the Taliban returned to power swiftly once US forces withdrew, significantly changing Afghanistan’s political landscape. The future of Afghanistan remains uncertain, as the world watches to see how the Taliban will govern the country and whether they will honor their commitments to the international community.
Other general-news outlets are reporting increased scrutiny on the Taliban's compliance with the war-and-conflicts related commitments made in the US-Taliban Doha Agreement, particularly with regards to the prevention of Afghanistan being used as a base for terrorist activities. In the realm of politics, there are rising discussions about the potential implications of the US withdrawal on the broader Middle East, with some analyzing the move as a withdrawal from regional politics.
