Afghan: Beleaguered ad infinitum | The Subcontinent

The 2001 invasion of Afghanistan was sold to the world as a necessary war to control al-Qaeda by removing the Taliban from power. Now almost 20 years later, the Taliban has effectively seized control of the country while the American-led occupiers are rushing to escape.

Capital city, Kabul, was the last major territory to fall with the collapse of the country’s government as President Ashraf Ghani fled abroad.

The George W. Bush administration started the war following 9/11 attacks. The early Barack Obama years were marked by an increased military presence which purportedly led to the killing of Osama bin Laden. Donald Trump initially escalated engagement but eventually withdraw some forces and helped initiate talks between Taliban and Afghan governments.

Joe Biden came into office with a commitment to ending the US’ war in Afghanistan on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11. His latest move is the re-deployment of 5,000 troops to help evacuate embassy personnel. In his address to American people, Biden said the US “mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation building.

It was never supposed to be creating a unified, centralized democracy.” The United States apparently were heading the opposite direction.