Has the war in Afghanistan ended?
On July 2 around noon hours the US military departed through Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan after nearly 20 years. Bagram airport the epicentre of the war to oust the Taliban, to hunt down the Al-Qaeda perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, a grand prize for the winner and a favourite target for suicide bombers has been handed over to the Afghan National Security and Defence Force. The majority of US military personnel are gone but a residual contingent of 650 soldiers remains at the US Embassy compound to protect the officials & diplomats and to help Turkey to secure Kabul international airport till September 11. The US President Biden recently told Afghan President Ghani that Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want. Ghani replied his job was now to manage the consequences of the withdrawal! General Austin Miller, the top US commander in Afghanistan bemoaned the rapid loss of several districts to the Taliban and asked for only a political settlement. US allies, mostly NATO members supporting in Afghanistan, saw the end of a mission hailed as epitome of NATO unity and cooperation, and a model for its operations. The German military shipped home about 800 containers of equipment to conclude its deadliest military mission since World War II. Their commander appreciated Afghan hospitality hoping Europe to emulate. Over two decades coalition troops removed brutal regime of Al -Qaeda, improved women rights but their end seemed sad and sobering. Afghanistan will take decades to limp back to normalcy. For long Pakistan helped Taliban secretly to fight Western troops and now Afghans are paying the price. They cant blame the west for their woes. The warlords and religious nuts are dragging it towards the violent Stone Age. Democracy to Afghans is just a fairy tale that doesnt end well. With last combat troops leaving Afghanistan, all are curious whether the war was really over. An emboldened Taliban is making battlefield gains, peace talks are stalled, and foreign forces are gone! Afghanistan could dive deeper into a civil war. An Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State militant network also lurks. And the head of US Central Command, has authority until September to defend Afghan forces against the Taliban by striking with US warplanes based out of Afghanistan. Technically, US forces havent been engaged in ground combat in Afghanistan since 2014. Only counter-terrorism troops have been pursuing and hitting militants since then, with Afghanistan-based aircraft. Those strike aircraft are now gone. Future strikes and logistical support for Afghan forces will be managed from outside Afghanistan. The Command has authority to keep 300 more troops to assist Afghan mission until September. With escalating violence, Pentagon assessment says the Afghan government and security forces could collapse within the next two years! The US military will arrange large-scale evacuation of Afghans who helped the US war effort, hence vulnerable to Taliban retribution. America will provide Special Immigrant Visas. Americas war in Afghanistan has ended: no surrender, no peace treaty, no final victory and no decisive defeat. For US it was enough that US forces dismantled Al-Qaeda and tracked & killed Osama bin Laden. In 2015, the US declared its combat mission as over and created the NATO Resolute Support mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces. Afghans assumed full responsibility for their security relying on US only for Aid. The peak deployment of over 130,000 troops from US, NATO nations and partner countries dwindled to about 10,000 troops from 36 nations. Turkish troops are currently staying as part of the Resolute Support mission. Turkey is negotiating a new bilateral agreement with Afghan leaders to remain at the airport to provide security. That imparts them legal authority to stay in Afghanistan. The US and NATO have pulled troops and surveillance aircraft out of Afghanistan but the war has not ended and could continue for months, nay years. America could strike against Al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups from ships at sea and Air bases in the Gulf region, like Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE. Pentagon is searching for basing alternatives for surveillance aircraft and other assets in Afghanistans bordering countries. Pakistan government is under Army pressure to befriend America. Hence, US is not leaving. Photo Credit : Getty Images  Twitter : @_Himansh_  Email : info@newdelhitimes.com  Like this: Like Loading...