Recently, during a press conference, U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan, sparking widespread reactions and generating various speculations. Biden stated that the United States sought the assistance of the Taliban to eradicate Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, claiming that there is currently no presence of Al-Qaeda in the country. While the Taliban welcomed Biden’s statement, it led to the denouncement of American officials. Among them, Mike McCall, the chairman of the foreign relations committee of the United States Senate, stated that President Biden’s assertion that Al-Qaeda is not present in Afghanistan is detached from reality.
In a report published earlier this year, the United Nations mentioned the close relationship between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, considering Afghanistan as the primary source of terrorist threats to Central Asia and South Asia. Additionally, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper recently published an investigative report on the current status of the Al-Qaeda network, claiming that Al-Qaeda’s inability to organize attacks against the interests of the United States and its Western allies stems from multiple motives unrelated to the Taliban’s efforts to weaken Al-Qaeda.
However, why did Biden make such statements, and what objectives does he aim to achieve with these statements?
When Biden assumed the presidency of the United States, one of his initial missions was to prioritize the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan. Throughout his election campaigns, he repeatedly promised to end the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan. Despite military commanders warning him about the potential repercussions of an abrupt withdrawal, he paid little attention to opposition comments. In his first speech following the U.S. withdrawal, he emphasized that the era of military interventions in countries is over and that diplomatic means should be used to achieve desired goals. However, it became evident that these words were employed for propaganda purposes, and Biden’s primary motivation for leaving Afghanistan stemmed from domestic political conflicts in America. Fatigue from a two-decade-long war and the burden it placed on American taxpayers led the public to desire its conclusion. Biden aimed to secure a significant achievement for himself by swiftly withdrawing from Afghanistan, bolstering his chances of winning a second term as president. Nevertheless, the chaotic withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan and the distressing images broadcasted worldwide during the withdrawal process prevented Biden from confidently claiming the realization of his grand goal.
The truth is that many years ago, when he served as Vice President under Barack Obama, Biden vehemently advocated for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, engaging in verbal disputes with anyone who disagreed. Richard Holbrooke, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, documented Biden’s visit to Afghanistan in 2010 in his memoirs. According to Holbrooke, Biden raised the topic of rapidly withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan during those years, leading to a disagreement between him and the vice president. In opposition to the withdrawal, Holbrooke argued that the United States had a responsibility to support the Afghan nation and prevent the Taliban from seizing control. Biden’s response was dismissive, stating, “Damn it. We should not worry about this. Nixon and Kissinger did it in Vietnam, and nothing happened to them.” When Holbrooke reminded Biden that Afghan women’s rights and freedoms would be obliterated if the Taliban returned, Biden replied, “I would never send my son here to support the rights of Afghan women. We did not come here for this purpose.”
Considering this, it appears that Biden’s claim about the Taliban suppressing Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is part of his effort to portray America as victorious in Afghanistan, rather than an accurate reflection of the external reality. That is why American authorities consistently assure the American people that they will target the leaders of terrorist organizations wherever they may be and prevent them from regrouping to threaten U.S. interests. Consequently, about a year ago, American forces killed the leader of Al-Qaeda in the heart of Kabul to demonstrate their commitment to combating terrorism. Despite this, the undeniable truth remains that the people of Afghanistan, particularly women, are the primary victims of the policies pursued by American statesmen. At any moment, the Americans can deploy drones and eliminate terrorists in any part of Afghanistan they desire while observing the Taliban’s repression of women and men with indifference. As soon as foreign forces departed Afghanistan, the same repressive laws and regulations from years ago were reimposed upon Afghan society, institutionalizing practices such as stoning, executions, amputations, and floggings.
The tragic part of this story is that the calamity of misogyny and governing according to archaic principles is unfolding before everyone’s eyes, yet they observe it with indifference. Biden and his entourage disregarded the voices within the U.S. government warning of the potential tragedies that could transpire after the withdrawal, remaining steadfast in their determination to exit Afghanistan within the predetermined deadline. Despite the Biden administration claiming that U.S. foreign policy is rooted in human rights, a significant disparity exists between their slogans and propaganda and their actual actions. The Biden administration approaches these issues with a detached mindset, avoiding the entanglement of America’s interests with moral principles.
This is not the first time the United States has taken disastrous actions. The withdrawal of American forces from Iraq resulted in similar consequences on a smaller scale compared to the withdrawal from Afghanistan. World powers make decisions and alter their strategies based on their national interests, internal conflicts, and economic conditions. They have their priorities, and the fate of people in third-world countries does not factor into their calculations.
Following the Taliban’s resurgence, the Western media skillfully attempted to whitewash the Taliban, highlighting the so-called moderate factions that are supposedly attuned to present-day needs and responsive to the demands of the international community. However, the passage of time has rendered these claims absurd and baseless. Even if there is a faction within the Taliban that superficially embraces modern values and recognizes the importance of respecting the rights of women and minorities in governance, this faction has yet to take concrete actions. The structure of the Taliban is incompatible with accepting any form of change. Power within the organization is highly concentrated and dictatorial, with decision-making predominantly residing in the hands of the Taliban leader in Kandahar, leaving little room for other authorities to challenge or modify their decisions. Almost two years have passed since the Taliban regained power, enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of their record. Not only did this group fail to moderate its strict positions, but it has also intensified restrictions on women, men, youth, and minorities. It is now evident that the Western media’s attempts to present a moderate Taliban had no purpose other than to mitigate criticism of the hasty withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan. Biden’s recent claim regarding the Taliban’s suppression of Al-Qaeda can also be viewed as an effort to whitewash the image of the Taliban. By distancing himself from criticism of America’s irresponsible conduct in Afghanistan, Biden is bolstering the Taliban’s rule and portraying it as justified and legitimate.
One woman from Kabul, in an interview discussing life under Taliban rule, expressed, “I am completely shattered. I have lost all my dreams, and my life is over forever.” These heart-wrenching statements reflect the sentiments of millions of women and men in Afghanistan, but they do not alter the objective facts. The collapse of the republican system and the return of the Taliban should serve as a lesson for all Afghans, highlighting the irreversible mistake of relying on foreigners to shape a country’s future. Each nation must shape its foreign policy based on its interests and strategic priorities, which can shift at any moment, leaving a country heavily dependent on foreign assistance to progress.