August 24, 2021
US is winding up its business in Afghanistan and aiming to complete evacuation from Afghanistan by August 31, 2021, irrespective of what the on-ground situation in Afghanistan turns out to be. The results of US withdrawal from Afghanistan have already started showing, and questions are being raised on US’ irresponsible attitude towards a whole country facing a crisis that was partly inflicted by US. that how could US leave Afghanistan after spending more that $2 trillion, in a course of 20 years.
US spend 20 years and more than $2 trillion in Afghanistan, but more alarming than the economic cost of the war is the human cost of the war on terror launched by USA. Research by Brown University estimates collective losses in Afghanistan and Pakistan as follows: No. of security personnel causalities stands at 75,971 [Afghan: 69000 and Pakistan:9341], and the number of civilian causalities in Afghanistan and Pakistan during the mentioned time period was 78,314 [Afghan: 51,613 and Pakistan:24,358].
The data shows that both the countries have faced huge human losses in the wake of US’ longest war. And despite inflicting tremendous damage to the already turmoiled states, US has left the region blatantly without caring for the fate of innocent Afghans.
With President Biden’s statement defending rapid US withdrawal even in the face of a swift Taliban takeover, that nation building wasn’t a US objective in the war on terror, it is quite clear that US only engages with countries until it has its own economic and political interests.
