The Withdrawal from Afghanistan

By Mary Clare Jones

On October 7, 2001, following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush declared war, invading Afghanistan to overturn the Taliban and stop the spread of the terrorist group. Since that fateful day, over 7,000 U.S. service members have died in 9/11 post-war operations, and over 30,000 service members have committed suicide after serving in these positions. These long twenty years have profoundly affected the U.S. and the world’s policies, government, and beliefs. In August, however, President Biden announced that he would be pulling troops out by the end of the year, officially ending the “forever” war. 

But this hasn’t come without its own set of controversies. After a messy withdrawal from the country, the Taliban quickly moved in and began taking over. The American government left a minimal number of Americans in the country and many Afghans looking to escape. Heart-wrenching videos emerged of people hanging onto planes or giving their children to American soldiers in an attempt to survive. Recently, thirteen American soldiers were killed in an attack on an airport in Kabul. For young women, the return of the Taliban is incredibly heartbreaking. Officials are now saying that many girls’ sports will be banned and schools will soon be segregated by gender. As a result, many women are staying in their homes in fear of violence against them on the streets. 

At home, many Americans have diverging ideas on the withdrawal. Some blame President Biden for the mishandling, while others believe this was an inevitable consequence of this war. However, the White House is standing firm in its decision. In a speech on August 16th, President Biden said, “it’s the right decision for our people. The right one for our brave service members who have risked their lives serving our nation. And it’s the right one for America”.  For many of us, this war has lasted our entire lives. We do not know a world without it. Our history in Afghanistan is complicated and nuanced and should be looked at through that lens. It is essential to look at this story with empathy and insight for the many people who remain in Afghanistan and the soldiers who have seen the horrors of this war.