America’s Afghan war is over but the battle for Biden’s legacy is only just beginning
The heroism of fallen troops
But the retreat also showcased US might.
That last departing US jet followed scores of previous flights that lifted more than 123,000 Americans, Afghans and citizens of allied nations out of Afghanistan, in an extraordinary operation that seemed impossible only 10 days ago after the collapse of the Afghan government.
The 13 US troops who died in an ISIS-K attack perished while giving Afghans and their descendants a chance of life in the US and elsewhere, which will play out over generations.
Biden’s legacy however now risks being damaged by events beyond his control. Not least the fact that when he marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks next month, the Taliban — hosts of al Qaeda in 2001 — will celebrate their renewed control of a failed state again rife with terrorists.
There’s an argument that Biden was simply cutting US losses and preventing more bloodshed, heartache and agony by finally ending the war.
But Afghanistan’s rewind moment also leaves a terrible question likely to be even more acute in coming years if it again emerges as a threat to US security. After the deaths of 2,461 American troops and civilians, more allied soldiers and many more Afghan civilians, what was it all for?
