Afghanistan

‘The Worst Seemed Very Far Away’: Andrew Exum on the Afghanistan War

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden announced his decision to fully withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by Sept.11. After 20 years and two generations of American service members fighting there, America’s longest war will come to an end. What will the legacy of that war be for the U.S. military? …

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Pakistan: Shoring Up Afghanistan’s Peace Process

Pakistan’s stakes in Afghanistan are rising as U.S. and NATO troops prepare to leave. All-out war after the withdrawal could push more Afghan refugees across the border and strengthen Pakistani militants. Islamabad should ratchet up pressure on the Taliban to engage in peace talks. What’s new? The fast-paced withdrawal of foreign …

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Pentagon Will Leave Large Number of Troops in Afghanistan to Protect US Embassy, Airport

The U.S. will leave a number of troops that is much larger than a typical security detail to guard its embassy in Kabul, along with American forces at the Kabul airport to help protect the vital facility for a time, the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday. “Afghanistan is not going to be …

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It’s difficult to get the Pentagon to acknowledge civilian casualties

A recent DOD report shows how incomplete accounting leaves victims with no recourse to redress. On June 2, the U.S. Department of Defense released its 2020 report on civilian casualties. Several things stood out: the overall tally of 23 civilians killed and 11 injured in all U.S. military operations worldwide …

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Afganistan’da son durum ve neden Macaristan/Pakistan?

Afganistan konusunda henüz resmi bir anlaşmaya varılmasa da artık geri sayım başlamış gözüküyor. Teknik detayları görüşmek üzere ABD heyeti bugün Ankara’ya geliyor. Afganistan Cumhurbaşkanı Eşref Gani ve Ulusal Uzlaşma Yüksek Konseyi Başkanı Abdullah ise 25 Haziran’da ABD’yi ziyaret ederek Biden ile görüşecekler. Milli Savunma Bakanı Hulusi Akar şuan için yeni …

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ISIS Editorial Calls ‘Apostate’ Taliban ‘Security Guard’ Of U.S. Interests In Wake Of Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Refutes Claims Taliban Seeks To Establish Islamic Shari’a

Issue 291 of Al-Naba’, the weekly newspaper of the Islamic State (ISIS), published[1] on June 17, 2021, included an editorial alleging that the Taliban “apostates” are no longer a threat to “Crusader” America and noting that they have become “the security guard” that protects American interests by fighting the mujahideen …

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Is Washington Right to Leave Afghanistan?

We at Foreign Affairs have recently published a number of pieces on the impact of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. To complement these articles, we decided to ask a broad pool of experts for their take. As with previous surveys, we approached dozens of authorities with specialized expertise …

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Turkey needs to build support for new Afghan mission

Turkey’s offer to secure Kabul’s airport might turn into a perilous mission unless it reaches some understanding with the Taliban and secures the critical support of regional actors such as Pakistan and Iran. Turkey is out to drum up support for its offer to take charge of Kabul’s airport after …

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Pakistan’s Geopolitical Game in Afghanistan

On June 14, 2021, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke at the inaugural Pakistan-Afghanistan Bilateral Dialogue in Islamabad. His tone was mildly aggressive. Talking about USA’s pullout from Afghanistan, Qureshi said: “If the objective of going to Washington is starting a new blame game and holding Pakistan responsible for …

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