The True Losers: Three Years After the Fall, Afghanistan’s Deepening Crisis
By Humayoon Babur
— Saleem, a former Afghan soldier, limps through the lively streets of Kabul with a sense of relief and despair. The small sum of 5,000 Afghanis is equivalent to approximately USD 63.95, which he received at the Shahzada Exchange Market. It is also a lifeline for his family, sent by a relative living abroad. But as the sole provider for his three children, the youngest just six years old, Saleem’s situation is dire. “It’s tough for a man to sit at home while his children are hungry, asking for bread,” he said.
Saleem’s story is emblematic of the broader crisis gripping Afghanistan three years after the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021, following the chaotic U.S. and NATO withdrawal. The collapse of the Afghan government ended two decades of war but plunged the country into a deep economic and humanitarian crisis that continues to this day.
When the Taliban took power, they inherited a country heavily dependent on foreign aid, with Western donors covering 75% of the previous government’s expenditures. The immediate cutoff of development assistance, along with the end of the war economy, left millions of Afghans struggling to survive. Saleem, once a soldier, is now disabled and unable to find work, and his family living on the brink of poverty.
On August 15, the Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their victory, parading remnants of U.S. military vehicles and heavy equipment at Bagram Airfield, the core of U.S. operations during the war. Afghanistan remains isolated on the world stage, with no foreign state recognizing the Taliban government.
Afghans are also seeing a decline in government services, particularly in health, water, and sanitation. Hundreds of health facilities have closed since 2021, and those that remain open are often without medicine, equipment, or trained staff. The Taliban’s restrictions on women’s employment have compounded these issues, making it difficult for female healthcare workers to serve other women. As a result, preventable illnesses, especially among children, are on the rise.
International Relations: A Complex Web
Internationally, the Taliban faces a complex web of isolation and selective engagement. Western countries, frustrated by the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights, have imposed sanctions and frozen assets, while still funneling billions of dollars in humanitarian aid to prevent famine. However, the world remains divided on how to deal with the Taliban, with neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran striking trade deals and accrediting Taliban ambassadors. These nations prioritize security and water-sharing agreements, sometimes overlooking the Taliban’s human rights abuses in favor of regional stability.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy for Afghan peace, recently reflected on the situation during an interview with Raziq Yar of TOLOnews. Khalilzad, who played a key role in the Doha Agreement that facilitated the U.S. withdrawal, lamented the lack of progress in Afghanistan. “The main issue was Afghans themselves were not able to accept each other. President Ghani gave less value to Doha talks, which were essential for the United States,” Khalilzad said.
Khalilzad also highlighted the Taliban’s success in securing the country but pointed out their failure to develop a political roadmap for the future. “The country has no future political policy, which is a problem,” he said. “The Taliban are not correct in thinking they defeated Americans. If they (Americans) stayed, no success would have changed on the military side.”
President Joe Biden, who oversaw the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, remains unapologetic about his decision. “I make no apologies for what I did,” Biden told reporters three years ago. “Raise your hand if you think anyone was going to be able to unify Afghanistan under one single government. It’s been the graveyard of empires for a solid reason. It is not susceptible to unity.”
Biden emphasized that the U.S. mission in Afghanistan was never about nation-building. “Our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation-building. It was never supposed to be creating a unified, centralized democracy,” he said.
The True Losers
Three years after the Taliban’s return to power, the situation in Afghanistan remains precarious. While the Taliban have managed to bring some stability to the economy and security, the overall picture is one of decline and hardship. The exclusion of women and girls from public life, the deteriorating public services, and the strained international relations paint a grim picture of Afghanistan’s future.
For Saleem and millions of other Afghans, the war’s end has brought little relief. The economic stagnation, lack of employment opportunities, and ongoing humanitarian crisis suggest that the true losers of the prolonged conflict are the “Afghan people themselves.” said, Abdul Wahid Tabi, an Afghan expert.
As Afghanistan struggles to find its footing, the international community remains at a crossroads. Until there is a significant change in the Taliban’s stance on women’s rights and governance, the country is likely to remain isolated, its people bearing the brunt of the consequences.
In the words of Khalilzad: “The future of Afghanistan lies in the hands of Afghans themselves. They must find a way to accept each other and build a future together.”
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