Khalilzad speaks, and … it’s complicated
In his first interview post-Afghanistan withdrawal, the longtime US diplomat is sometimes selective, other times brutally honest.
In his first interview post-Afghanistan withdrawal, the longtime US diplomat is sometimes selective, other times brutally honest.
A veteran war correspondent recalls the ignorance, poor judgement, exceptionalism, and hubris in all of our interventions.
At first sight, the insurgents’ return to power is good news for Pakistan, but this could prove to be a Pyrrhic victory.
The prospect of new extremist threats pouring into or igniting within these states or just over the border is a real security issue.
Iran and the Taliban have mutual interests that will favor cooperation despite their long-standing rivalry.
Humanitarian assistance cannot depend on whether the insurgent group forms a government or what it looks like.
The Taliban’s security problems are likely to be domestic and regional rather than hail from transnational jihadist groups.
Tehran has a long history with the Pashtuns across the border so their optimism is a bit tempered these days.
The Taliban may be talked out of poppy production if the price is right.
If China has learned anything from its recent experiences in Pakistan, it will proceed cautiously with a small footprint in Afghanistan.
While it’s still unclear how Saudi Arabia and the UAE will respond, Qatar may take on a mediator role.
Some analysts have noted that Saudi Arabia was absent among the Gulf states that helped the United States with evacuations from Afghanistan.
Thursday’s ghastly bombings reflect a real threat to the Taliban’s new-found control over the country — and to the U.S. evacuation on the ground.
Start by asking who benefited from the protracted war, a question that will elicit uncomfortable truths about Washington.
An historian points out that our partners weren’t equipped to win without air support — but neither are we.
Though the insurgent group rushed to assure the West, its embrace of strict Islamic law leaves much to speculation.
Initial signs suggest that there might be some space for European engagement with the militia, if only for the betterment of Afghans.
It should be no surprise then, that Americans are shocked at the images of violence and the grim political situation on the ground today.
But poverty, climate stress, and instability make the people who live there, and the strength of any new government, vulnerable.
Washington elites are rightly horrified by the Taliban’s swift takeover, but more troops and more time wouldn’t have made a difference.
Now is not the time for bureaucracy or delay. The United States will only get one opportunity to get this right.