America’s Retreat From Afghanistan: What’s Next?

With departure of the last U.S. C-17 from Kabul on August 30th, 2021, the United States closed out the longest war in its history with a conclusion that was frustrating for all, and bitter for many. After winning battle after battle in the field, the United States lost the political struggle, no longer willing to bear the costs of fighting for goals that once seemed attainable, but were always out of reach.

Questions on what our Afghanistan withdrawal means are being asked and examined around the world. Will the Taliban in 2021 govern differently that 1996? Will new terrorist threats arise in South Asia? Will global al Qaida and ISIS be reinvigorated? Will America’s withdrawal prove to be a strategic pivot which will strengthen America’s ability to face more central challenges, or will it reflect America’s Suez moment? 

To consider these questions and others, please join the Belfer Center’s Intelligence Project in a special Zoom Webinar which will feature Intelligence Project Fellows and staff offering their views and perspective based on decades of dealing with intelligence operations and analysis in Afghanistan.

 Please register via Zoom Webinar link below.