It’s Past Time to Leave Afghanistan

In the end, the case for staying is a case to wait for more mission creep.

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U.S. Army Third Infantry Division soldiers provide security during an Afghan-led operation near Kabul, September 16, 2018.

Sean Kimmons / U.S. Army

The reasons for staying in Afghanistan don’t add up. And Joe Biden should have held to Trump’s agreement and pulled our troops out by May 1.

Hawks make both idealist and realist arguments for staying in Afghanistan. On the idealist side, they argue that U.S. forces supporting the Afghan national government are the reason that more girls are attending school in Afghanistan than ever, which will have positive run-on social effects for decades. U.S. troops are the reason that girls in Kabul who don’t wear a burka are not defaced with acid. America is a force for good in the world, and when we retreat, the Taliban will end all this. By committing to an unconditional withdrawal by September 11, the U.S. undercuts its demand for the Taliban to give up more in ongoing peace talks.

Michael Brendan Dougherty

About the Author

Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is a senior writer at National Review Online.

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