By Amelia Luo ’23
Staff Writer & Photographer
On Nov. 17, 2020, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced that the United States would reduce troop levels in Afghanistan by mid-January. This withdrawal would bring the number of troops stationed from 4,500 to 2,500, accelerating troops’ removal during President Donald Trump’s final days in office. The acceleration aims to fulfill Trump’s pledge to bring forces home, though it has been met with many objections from senior military officials who would prefer a slower pullout. Some U.S. allies have warned of the danger of withdrawing under current conditions, according to The Washington Post.
The U.S. and the Taliban signed a peace deal on Feb. 29, 2020, which contains four major agreements: one, to convene the Intra-Afghan negotiation; two, for a cease-fire among the U.S., Taliban and Afghan forces to be put on the Intra-Afghan agenda; three, the withdrawal of foreign forces and reduction of U.S. military troops from 12,000 to 8,600 within the first 135 days; and four, that no groups or individuals use Afghanistan soil to threaten the security of the U.S. and its allies. Since signing this deal, the U.S. has closed at least 10 bases across Afghanistan. However, very little information on the final remaining sites and the actual situation of these military bases in Afghanistan after their closures have been made known to the public.
Despite the fast-approaching deadline, many withdrawal process plans remain murky. Ashley Jackson, an expert on the militant group with the Overseas Development Institute, told The Washington Post that the closing of U.S. bases also hands Taliban fighters both symbolic and tangible victories. Kayla Olds ’23, a politics major, suggested that “the decision is irresponsible, the timing is bad, and it will do much more harm than good by potentially making the situation worse for the people in Afghanistan.”
Lucia Xie ’23, a double major in politics and history, remarked that “The United States has been involved in the Afghan conflict for nearly two decades, but it appears to be a stalemate that cannot be resolved in the short term.” Xie continued, “I think the U.S. withdrawal can be an appropriate decision because the U.S. has spent a lot of wasted time and resources on the Afghanistan problem. This process, of course, has not significantly advanced America’s counterterrorism efforts.”
The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the closing of military bases is part of the deal that the U.S. signed with the Taliban. However, the Taliban has not yet met the requirements to reduce violent attacks against Afghan government forces, nor have they broken ties with international terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida. If the U.S. chose to withdraw now, it would further weaken an already fragile Afghan government. Despite this, the Afghan security forces are well supplied and funded by foreign economics, so the pullout of the U.S. troops would not necessarily cause a complete collapse in Afghanistan.
Miller suggested that the U.S. would be ready to respond if conditions in Afghanistan change. Analysts and Afghan officials also suggested that U.S. troops are collapsing forces into bigger military bases to have a larger number of forces ready to secure various small outposts. This would also help bring U.S. troops closer to medical facilities, making it easier to evacuate the country if necessary. American military presence in Afghanistan was seen as an essential reason for the Taliban to keep its side of the deal and negotiate. However, this speedy pullout is sending signals to the Taliban that the U.S. is leaving the region regardless of the insurgency. According to The New York Times, immediately after the Pentagon’s announcement of the withdrawal plan, mortar shells and rockets were fired in several places in Baghdad, including areas near the U.S. Embassy, killing a child and leaving five civilians wounded.
Trump’s determination was met with alarm from the U.S.’ NATO allies. NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that “the price for leaving too soon or in an uncoordinated way could be very high.” According to the New York Times, allied nations have stated that they will reconsider their presence in Afghanistan if the U.S. withdraws, a decision which will likely change regional occupations.