Pros & Cons of the US leaving Afghanistan
As this blog is being written, we are memorating the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11th 2001, hence, concluding 20 years of international involvement in Afghanistan. The Taliban is expected to be officially in charge of the state’s politics and laws within the upcoming days since President Ashraf Ghani’s regime has issued a surrender statement earlier this month. Withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan is the first major political decision by President Biden regarding the fights against terrorists and US influence in the Middle East. Will this prove effective or eventually backfire on American foreign policy?
U.S. Army troops return from a deployment to Afghanistan in December. John Moore/Getty Images
Pro: Protect lives
With the US military pulling out of the country, it equally means that major fights, bombing, and killing will finally come to a halt, at least for the current status quo. Deaths have always been the issue when speaking of conflicts and wars. Since 2001, over 2000 American military personnel have died and for the Afghans, the figure is a hundred times larger, at over 200,000 people have died in war zones between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban is getting stronger again, which means that the US staying will only result in more casualties. Providing the current situation, it has become increasingly difficult to adjust strategies to counter the Taliban’s; therefore, leaving the country might be crucial before matters get out of control.
Pro: Free military budget, resources
Another positive connotation from the US leaving Afghanistan is that Washington can free their military budget and use the resources for opportunities elsewhere. During the 20-year period, the US has spent more than $2 trillion on the war in Afghanistan. This has been seen as an opportunity cost since the money could have been used for other plans that could have potentially improved the education system such as that of Bernie Sander, where he expects to cancel all American student debts and pay for their college tuition fee with only $1.6 trillion. Otherwise, the $2 trillion could have been used to end or decrease the rate of extreme poverty. According to economist Jeffrey Sachs, it costs $175 billion per year for 20 years to put a halt to poverty. America could have used the money spent on the Afghanistan war to send out humanitarian loans to help poorer regions, hence, fostering better relationships.
Pro: Provide opportunities for an independent Afghanistan regime
Afghanistan has long been known as the “graveyard of empires” due to its historical background and important geopolitical location. History has proven that foreign powers only arrived in Afghanistan for their personal interests. Even before the US arrived, great armies including the Soviet Union failed to conquer the nation during the 1980s. The Taliban was formed consequently, leading the nation to decades of instability. After decades of having external forces inside the nation, the best solution might be to leave the nation to its own political leaders, those that are easier to empathize with the people. Moreover, the major advantage of having only one system in place allows larger degrees of freedom for the government to develop the economy and diplomacy.
Con: Violations of multiple human rights
A downside that many fear will happen is the exclusion of multiple human rights. With the Taliban in place, the United Nations fear that the Afghan people, especially women, will have to live under tighter conditions. Women are structurally unable to compete for certain jobs in society, which include them not being able to complete universities and higher education. Moreover, issues regarding freedom of speech are concerned as many expect the Taliban to construct a draconian Afghanistan under Sharia law.
Con: Geopolitical vacuum of the US
The US intention of coming into Afghanistan in 2001 was to free the country from the rising fear of the strict and cruel Taliban, or the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). Withdrawing equally means that the Taliban is getting full control of the state and the US losing a strategic piece of the Middle East puzzle. During the Afghanistan war, the US has been essential to the nation’s politics alone and the region in general. Having military bases and drones already established in the country also allows the US to have greater influences as drone strikes proved effective in eliminating key targets. Although being landlocked, Afghanistan was viewed as an alternative doorway to the Indian continent and Southeast Asia. Reaching Asia through Afghanistan has been ideally better compared to travelling through Russia or China. And with Chinese officials already in direct contact with the Taliban, Washington’s foreign policies regarding Asia might even be more challenging.
For Russia, the opportunities of the US exit go beyond Afghanistan, with Moscow seeking to reclaim the power it had in the Soviet era and reestablish itself as the security guarantor in Eurasia © AP
Con: America accepts that it has lost
Since the 2020 Presidential Election, support for President Biden has not shown positive signs as Covid-19 still proved to be detrimental to the nation. Things have only worsened as President Joe Biden decided to end the war in Afghanistan after 20 years by completely evacuating all American personnel from the nation. This political decision has faced major opposition from previous Trump supporters and current republicans, which again divides America into different opinions. Consequently, the rising opposition against the government can further degrade bipartisanship, making it even more difficult to achieve certain objectives such as convincing the population to get vaccinated. On an international scale, the US will still remain a superpower, but their voices will definitely lose weight, which might negatively affect them when negotiating with other world powers, especially China.
Indeed, international diplomacy and foreign policies have never been more puzzling for the United States, hence makes it even harder for President Biden to regain the fading bipartisanship during the COVID-19 pandemic. From our perspective, although leaving might face huge opposition, which can result in direct and immediate consequences, it might be the best solution forward for both the US and Afghanistan in the longer run. From your point of view, which alternative is better?