President Joe Biden has just recently made an order to withdraw American troops in Afghanistan. This will call an end to America’s part in the war, after the Taliban have just seized control over the country’s capital, Kabul. President Biden decided that keeping American troops in Afghanistan might spark terrorist attacks in the US. America is still scared by the other attacks, such 9/11.

America’s original goal in Afghanistan was to break the Taliban’s iron grip over the country, and to eliminate a safe base of operations for them. This plan, which took over 20 years, failed resulting in 69,000 deaths on both sides. After the president fled the country, the loss of Kabul, and the amount of casualties, it was America’s time to finally pack up and move on from the front lines.

Defeating the Taliban was not America’s only goal. They also wanted to give justice to Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the attack of 9/11. America achieved that goal, and Al-Qaeda is less of a threat than before. However with the withdrawal of troops, Al-Qaeda may have more power over Afghanistan with the Taliban on their side.

“As I said in April, the United States did what we went to do in Afghanistan: to get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and to deliver justice to Osama Bin Laden, and to degrade the terrorist threat to keep Afghanistan from becoming a base from which attacks could be continued against the United States. We achieved those objectives. That’s why we went.”
-President Joe Biden

But, President Biden is still intent on forwarding peace in Afghanistan. He has armed many Afghan Allies with the weapons and supplies they need to defend their country from terrorists. However many of these weapons have been taken by the Taliban, and used against the allies. But, additional anti-Taliban groups have formed, and have been fighting to take their home. As the President ends the American-Afghan campaign, he intends to evacuate as many Americans and Afghan-American allies out, with the support of many countries. He has pledged to get all Americans out by the due date of August 31.

Taliban troops wielding American made M4 Carbine rifles.

“We did not go to Afghanistan to nation-build. And it’s the right and the responsibility of the Afghan people alone to decide their future and how they want to run their country.”
-President Joe Biden

The withdrawal of American troops in Afghanistan marks an end to America’s place in the war, and in their place, a potentially darker government to rule over the country. It is now up to the remaining Afghans to decide what they want with their country, to fight back, or take a seat and see what this new regime has in mind.

Cover photo courtesy of US Marines