US Withdrawal from Afghanistan Selfishly Getting ahead of Schedule Is Risky

The U.S. government has announced that the total withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Afghanistan is expected to be completed by the end of next month, ahead of the original deadline of Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The withdrawal process is already in its final stages, and the troops have pulled out of Bagram Air Base near Kabul, which was their largest base.

What is worrisome is the deterioration of public safety.

Since President Joe Biden announced a complete withdrawal in April, the Taliban, an insurgent armed force, has intensified its offensive. There have been a series of bombings with unknown perpetrators, resulting in large numbers of casualties.

If the current situation continues, the administration could very well collapse, and a civil war may occur. There is also the fear that the remaining international terrorist organization, al-Qaida, will come to life and Afghanistan will once again become a hotbed of terrorism.

Biden promised to achieve peace when he announced the withdrawal. The U.S. should mediate the cease-fire talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, restore security and pave the way for peace. That is the main premise of withdrawal.

One of the reasons mentioned for the withdrawal was to focus on [U.S.] competition with China, but it is selfish to put a country’s own interests first.

The intervention in Afghanistan began when the U.S. military attacked the Taliban regime that ruled at the time for harboring al-Qaida, which had carried out the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The withdrawal was proposed by the former Trump administration and endorsed by the Biden administration. There is no doubt that the goal is to end America’s longest war in time for the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in response to public opinion about the conflict.

At the U.S.-Afghan summit held at the White House last month, Biden pledged to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that the U.S. would continue its support of his country, including spending about $3.3 billion on security operations.

It is clear that the U.S. is leaving the task of restoring security to a weakened Afghan government. At the very least, the U.S. should establish a framework for peace before it withdraws any troops.

In retrospect, Afghanistan has been forced to make enormous sacrifices in the interest of the major powers. Many Afghans lost their lives after the Soviet Union intervened in 1979. When the Soviets withdrew 10 years later, Western powers such as the U.S. lost interest and civil war ensued.

More than 40,000 civilians have already died in this conflict. If the U.S. troops continue to withdraw from the area, it could lead to an even more tragic history.

Neighboring countries have been holding talks intermittently over an Afghan peace, but have not achieved any significant results. The international community, including Japan, that has supported the democratization of Afghanistan, should support the peace process.

The United Nations also has a responsibility to be more actively involved in trying to resolve the situation.