politics
A Silver Lining in Afghanistan
Five years after the U.S. withdrawal, al-Qaeda remains weak and the Taliban has become an unexpected partner.
TL;DR
- Five years post-U.S. withdrawal, Afghanistan has not become a global terrorist hub.
- Al-Qaeda is considerably weaker than in 2001 and has not attacked the U.S. or Europe from Afghanistan since the withdrawal.
- The Taliban, despite human rights abuses, is acting as a counterterrorism partner to the U.S.
- U.S. actions, including drone strikes, have significantly weakened al-Qaeda's leadership.
- ISKP has grown into the primary terrorist threat in Afghanistan, and the Taliban has worked with the U.S. to disrupt its activities.
- The U.S. can leverage the Taliban's control and intelligence networks to warn other countries about potential ISKP attacks.