The United States ended one of the longest wars in Afghanistan when all its troops left the country after 20 years with expenses of up to trillions of dollars.
On Monday (30 August) night, the last of the American forces in charge of a desperate evacuation attempt flew out of Kabul airport, completing a pullout that has raised serious doubts about the US’s role as a superpower.
Taliban gunmen stormed the airport and celebrated by firing weapons into the sky, marking an incredible victory for the movement two decades after US forces invaded Afghanistan and removed them from power.
However, despite millions of U.S. funds for rebuilding, the Taliban will inherit a damaged country, including deep poverty, famine, and Daesh threats.
Many of the Afghan people are terrified due to the initial rule of the Taliban 1996-2001, which was known highly for how they treated their women and girls, as well as maintaining a cruel system of justice.
The evacuation occurred just before the deadline set by President Joe Biden on August 31 for calling an end to America’s longest war, which claimed the lives of over 2,400 US service members.
The early end came because of a threat from a regional Daesh offshoot, rivals of the Taliban, who were attempting to strike US forces at the airport. More than 100 people were killed when a Daesh suicide bomber assaulted the perimeter of the airport late last week, where desperate Afghans had gathered in the hopes of boarding an evacuation aircraft.
The US-led airlift operation, which began shortly after the Taliban marched into Kabul on August 14, evacuated about 123,000 people from the capital.
As his detractors continued to slam him for his handling of the pullout, Biden indicated he will address the nation on Tuesday (31 August) in Washington.
Republican Senator Rick Scott said that “We can’t fight endless wars, but the scope & consequence of Biden’s failure here is staggering.”
Congressman Richard Hudson added that “President Biden has brought great shame on the American people.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “Any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned,” as he declared that the US diplomatic mission in Kabul had been suspended and that operations had been relocated to Qatar.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that with the withdrawal of the US, Afghanistan has gained full independence.
A senior Taliban official, Anas Haqqani said that he was proud to witness “these historic moments.”
