On the tragic day of August 15, when the Taliban strolled into Kabul and took over the national capital without any opposition, the world had its eyes on Afghanistan and watched the events unfold in disbelief. Videos of Taliban soldiers taking over empty checkpoints and brandishing their guns as a sign of their return to power began to circulate on the internet.
While waving and firing weapons in the air isn't a new act, there was a prominent contrast this time, instead of their customary weapons of decision the Soviet-made AK-47 assault rifles that had become synonymous with militant and radical groups, they carried American-made military-grade M-18 assault rifles. Rather than banished dusty old vehicles, they drove around in Humvees and military-grade armour vehicles. On the surface, it may appear to be nothing more than a logistical improvement. As a symbol, it does point to an intriguing scenario. While the Taliban had gained access to American weapons in the past as well. Courtesy of the rampant corruption in Afghani defence and interior ministries, cash, ammunition, and food deliveries were frequently stolen before reaching their intended locations and sold on the black market to the Taliban.
After Joe Biden announced the complete withdrawal of the US Army from Afghanistan in April 2021, the Taliban accelerated their efforts of taking control over territories in the state. By May, the Taliban had gained significant territorial areas in the Northern region.
When the insurgents overran Afghan soldiers that failed to protect district centres, they acquired a slew of sophisticated military equipment. They then expanded their territory and took through provincial capitals and other facilities at a breakneck pace. Taliban has taken aeroplanes, tanks, and artillery from Afghan outposts and fleeing US soldiers. Accordingly, they captured more checkpoints and military bases, and their arsenal grew with each victory. After each annexation, they increased in strength and finally became a threat way beyond the state's ability to deal with. This highlights one of the higher consequences of a US troop departure amid the Afghani government and army collapsing. Over 20 years, the US spent more than $83 billion on training and equipping Afghanistan's security forces, yet to the amazement of the international community, they disintegrated so quickly and comprehensively - in some cases even without a shot being fired. According to reports from the US camp, most weapons capable of inflicting severe damage were removed from the war-torn region during the early phases of the pullout operation. They also allege that certain pieces of equipment, like the helicopters left in Taliban control, need significant training to operate and can't be utilized viably by the Taliban. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing this week:
“We don’t want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interests or the interests of the Afghan people.”
Following a thorough examination of the case, the critical question remains whether the US initiative, in turn, aided the Taliban. In 2001, the Taliban was an extremist group fighting with low-quality, counterfeit weaponry, and there was strong internal opposition to their gains. In several instances, the Northern Frontier fought courageously and held off the Taliban. However, the current scenario implies that things have taken a turn for the worst; the Taliban now have access to a substantial amount of US military equipment, which they may use directly or sell to other anti-state actors. The second noticeable difference was how effortlessly the Taliban marched across regions and took over the national capital without shedding a sweat. It appears as though that the security forces had long since given up the battle, and that Afghans had just accepted that once America left, the Taliban would take over. Northern frontier 2.0 never occurred since most tribal chiefs became political leaders following America's intervention and departed the country before the Taliban took Kabul. After two decades of US-mediated control, the country looked to be increasingly reliant on foreigners for assistance. At this point, it will be safe to assume that the United States' contributions were primarily logistical, and they were unable to assist in the establishment of self-sustainable Afghani Defence Troops. The 83 billion dollar investment did not produce the desired results. However, claiming that all of it finally benefited the Taliban isn't quite correct, but it is not an unfounded accusation because America is now leaving behind a stronger Taliban with the same extremist ideology in charge of a nation whose people's will have been broken and are now asking for outside help to preserve their homeland. Yet, this doesn't clarify for what reason a force supported by billions of dollars of funding fail so miserably? To find out, read the second piece in this series, in which we will dig deep into the dynamics of the Afghani security forces and comprehend the psyche of the troops who risk their lives in the region.
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