Two decades have passed since the US invasion of Afghanistan toppled the Taliban’s Islamic extremist regime. Despite efforts to update its image, the group still holds hard-line views.
There is much at stake as the US withdraws troops from Afghanistan. A political philosopher explains why the US cannot escape the moral consequences of its actions.
A scholar and practitioner of foreign policy and national security offers personal and professional perspectives on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In its peace deal with the US, the Taliban ‘pledged’ to prevent al-Qaeda from operating out of Afghanistan. But there are signs the terror group is already there, hiding out of sight.
In Afghanistan, it does not pay to be on the losing side. There is a danger that a spreading perception the Taliban are poised to take over could trigger a wave of government and army defections.
After 20 years in Afghanistan and many promises made, the U.S. does hold responsibility for Afghans’ fate, including their human right to access education.
The infrastructure and levels of deprivation in poorer countries have prevented them from benefiting from containment measures as much as richer nations.
Afghanistan sharpened Australia’s fighting capacity and capability. But we were still part of a spectacular failure of political and military leadership.
As President Joe Biden said on announcing the US troop withdrawal by September, ‘our reasons for remaining in Afghanistan have become increasingly unclear’.
The Afghanistan War now has an end date: 9/11/21. Experts explain the history of US involvement in Afghanistan, the peace process to end that conflict and how the country’s women are uniquely at risk.