Four years after the withdrawal of US troops, the Congressional Commission on the Afghanistan War has concluded that the two-decade-long campaign failed not due to tactical shortcomings, but because of deep strategic mistakes, according to a report cited by Khaama.com.
The report states that Afghan institutions never achieved self-reliance, remaining heavily dependent on US military, financial, and technical support. American contractors and agencies created parallel systems that bypassed local authorities, undermining sovereignty and fueling instability.
Afghan security forces, reliant on US logistics and technology, were unable to operate independently. After peace talks in Doha - initiated too late - their capabilities rapidly declined, enabling the Taliban to swiftly seize power.
The report criticizes Washington’s inconsistent policy: a mission that began as counterterrorism evolved into nation-building without a coherent strategy. Disagreements between the Pentagon, State Department, and USAID, combined with corruption and a weak government in Kabul, eroded public trust.
Particular attention is given to Pakistan’s “double game”: cooperating with the US while simultaneously providing safe havens for the Taliban.
Today, Afghanistan has once again become a refuge for extremist groups. The UN warns of the growing threat from ISIS-Khorasan and the resurgence of Al-Qaeda.
The commission concluded that the failure resulted from systemic errors, and ignoring these lessons could lead to similar costly mistakes in future US interventions.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 20, 2025