The Taliban in Afghanistan/ US withdrawal from Afghanistan

1. The Taliban in Afghanistan/
US withdrawal from
Afghanistan
https://youtu.be/jIypaHqsEC4

2. The Taliban in Afghanistan
• Brown University calculates that since
October, 2001, the United States has
spent $2.26 trillion in Afghanistan.
• Despite of trillions, Afghanistan still
has one of the smallest formal
economies on the planet. In 2020,
former president Ashraf Ghani said 90
% of the population is living on less
than $2 a day.
In August, 2021 US troops started to go
back and the last soldier has left
Afghanistan on 15th September, 2021.
Fall of US backed government of Ashraf
Ghani.
How this complex geo-political situation
would effect the world generally and to
the South Asian region specifically.

3. Graveyard of Empires
19th Century Britain tried to invade
(1839–42; 1878–80; 1919)
20th Century Soviet Union (1979-89)
21st Century US invaded Afghanistan
(2001-21)

4. Ethnic Composition
40
27
9
9
4
3
6
Percent
Pashtun Tajik Hazara
Uzbik Chahar Aimak Turkmen
Others

5. Land of Afghanistan was conquered by Darius I of Babylonia circa 500 B.C.
Alexander the Great of Macedonia in 329 B.C.
Mahmud of Ghazni, an 11th century conqueror who created an empire from Iran
to India, is considered the greatest of Afghanistan’s conquerors
Genghis Khan took over the territory in the 13th century, but it wasn’t until the
1700s that the area was united as a single country. By 1870, after the area had
been invaded by various Arab conquerors, Islam had taken root.
Pre 19th century Afghanistan

6. Afghanistan’s in vasion in 19th
century
▪ In North was the
Russian Empire
▪ In South was the
British Empire
▪ Afghanistan was in
middle as a buffer zone
Save Me from my Friends!, 1878. Artist: Joseph
Swain. The Ameer of Afghanistan stands
between the Russian bear and the British lion

7. Anglo-Afghan
Wars
(1839; 1879; 1919)
In first Anglo-Afghan war, British army overthrew
Amir Dosat Muhammad and installed Shah Shuja’s
government but Afghans continued their fight
against British rule and soon Shah was assassinated
and the whole territory was united a single country.
Ultimately Amir Dosat Muhammad was restored to
rule.
In second Anglo-Afghan
war , British remained
successful to get some
control of Afghanistan and
appointed Amir
Abdulrahman. Internal
control was given to him.
Third Anglo-Afghan war ,
also known as
Independence war in
Afghanistan. And
ultimately Afghanistan
got independence from
British rule.

8. Aman Ullah , In 1926
Constitutional Monarchy,
Kingdom of Afghanistan.
He was a liberal and democratic
figure who introduced a
transformatory program.
In 1929, king Aman Ullah and
his family had to flee to British
India and then went to Rome.
Afghanistan in 20th Century
Nadir Shah in 1929
Zahir Shah in 1933 (40 years).
In 1964, new constitution was
introduced.
In 1973, Dawooud Shah became
president.
Until that period Afghanistan
was a peaceful and tourist
attractive country.

9. Afghanistan in 20th Century
Afghanistan was a member of NAM
IN 1977, Dawoud introduced a new constitution based on three basic principles;
Nationalism
Islam
Socialism
In April, 1978 a communist leader was assassinated .In its reaction a coup was initiated
and Dawoud was killed with whole of his family. A new government under the
leadership of a communist leader Nur Muhammad Taraki was formed. Policies
introduced by him were anti-Islam. As a result a sever reaction came from Islamist
faction and civil war erupted. And In 1979, Nur Muhammad Taraki was assassinated.

10. Afghanistan in 20th Century
Soviet Union invaded the country on the
night of December 24, 1979, sending in
some 30,000 troops.
The Afghan War quickly settled down
into a stalemate, with more than 100,000
Soviet troops controlling the cities, larger
towns, and major garrisons and the
Mujahideen moving with relative
freedom throughout the countryside.
In 1988 the Soviet Union signed an accord
with US, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and
agreed to withdraw its troops and
withdrawal was completed on 15th
February, 1989, and Afghanistan
returned to nonaligned status.

11. Afghanistan in 21st Century
International conflict in Afghanistan beginning in 2001 that was triggered by the
September 11 attacks and consisted of three phases;
The first phase—toppling the Taliban as brief, lasting just two months
The second phase, from 2002 until 2008, was marked by a U.S strategy of defeating
the Taliban militarily.
The third phase, a turn to classic counterinsurgency doctrine, began in 2008 and
accelerated with U.S. Pres. Barack Obama’s 2009 decision to temporarily increase
the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. The strategy came coupled with a timetable
for the withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan; beginning in 2011,
security responsibilities would be gradually handed over to the Afghan military and
police. The new approach largely failed to achieve its aims.