The US military left the Bagram airfield – its key base in Afghanistan – in the dead of night without notifying the Afghans. This was followed by looting in the area. The US is starting to pull out its troops from Afghanistan and President Joe Biden said that by 11 September, the majority of US forces will be out of the country. Earlier, the NATO had also pulled out the majority of its troops. The decision of the US has left the world as well as the Afghans very angry. The failure to eliminate terrorism and failure to bring political solution has left Afghanistan vulnerable.
After the Soviet failure, the West, under the leadership of the USA, the lone remaining superpower of the world, is also losing the battle against insurgents in Afghanistan. The late-night sudden withdrawal by the US hands control of the Bagram base to a much less well-equipped force that could struggle to defend it from the Taliban, which has made swift advances in recent weeks across the country, seizing rural districts and surrounding some larger cities. The group claims to have taken more than 10 new districts in the past 24 hours. There is growing fear that the Taliban might next target Kabul, the capital city. The US and its western allies have miserably failed the people of Afghanistan. Many of them put their own personal safety at risk and became part of the US’ efforts to install a democratic system in the country. After years of civil war, they saw hope in the western democratic system. But their hopes have been dashed. Still there is time. The US needs to get its act together and work out a mechanism to extend strong support to the Afghan government to take on the Taliban insurgents. Meanwhile, India also needs to remain alert and keep an eye on the emerging situation in Afghanistan.