Leaving Afghanistan
What happens after the forever war ends?
The Year Kabul Fell Again
A stunning Taliban takeover left Afghanistan—and the world—transformed.
Why the Taliban Still Love Suicide Bombing
The group is normalizing death and despair in the Islamic Emirate.
U.N., World Bank Under Pressure to Offer Aid to Afghanistan
The existing sanctions regime on Taliban leaders makes it hard for the world to help the Afghan people.
Afghan Refugees Get Cold Welcome in Pakistan
The Taliban takeover has pushed many Afghans over the border and into another kind of limbo.
Taliban takeover
Taliban Splintered by Internal Divisions, External Spoilers
Pakistan said to be supporting alternative jihadi groups to undermine the Taliban and maintain leverage over Afghanistan.
12 Million Angry Men
The Taliban promised justice. They are hard-pressed to provide it.
The Taliban Don’t Need the West
Afghanistan’s new rulers have shown themselves to be skilled—and ruthless—diplomats. 
The Taliban’s Sharia Is the Most Brutal of All
The Afghan government is imposing punishments that have no comparison elsewhere in the Islamic world.
Regional dynamics
Qatari Diplomat: ‘There’s a Serious Need for Engagement’ With the Taliban
Qatar’s assistant foreign minister discussed the Taliban, the need for a clear road map, and Afghanistan’s uncertain future.
Afghanistan Is No Treasure Trove for China
The country’s mineral wealth remains largely theoretical.
Afghanistan Is a Bigger Headache for Tehran Than It Is Letting On
Iran cheered the U.S. withdrawal but is nervously hedging its bets with the Taliban.
Pakistan’s Friendship With the Taliban Is Changing
Expect a recalibration of the relationship by both sides now the Taliban are in power.
Refugee crisis
Will Afghan Refugees Stranded in Southeast Asia Be Resettled?
After the fall of Kabul, some countries are opening their doors. Afghans who have been stuck in Malaysia and Indonesia for years are hoping that they will not be forgotten.
The United States Needs an Afghan Refugee Resettlement Act
Legislation passed in the wake of the Vietnam War could provide a blueprint for today’s policymakers.
Biden Sparked a Refugee Crisis. He Must Help Europe Bear the Cost.
The chaotic U.S. withdrawal has already led thousands of Afghans to flee.
How to Avoid Humanitarian Catastrophe in Afghanistan
The Biden administration should maximize diplomacy and prioritize support for front-line organizations.
Women in Afghanistan
School’s Out in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
The Taliban say modern education is of no use as the country heads toward economic meltdown and starvation.
The Tragic Fate of Afghanistan’s Journalists
Many are fleeing or in hiding. Women, some locked out of their outlets, are in particular danger.
‘They Left Us to the Taliban’
Six Afghan women describe their feelings of fear, anger, and betrayal in the wake of America’s departure.
In Taliban’s New Afghan Emirate, Women Are Invisible
“All the women of Afghanistan have one fear, the Taliban,” said former deputy defense minister Munera Yousufzada.
Latest Stories
Biden’s War at Home Over Afghanistan Is Just Beginning
After making the right call on withdrawal, the U.S. president better get ready for second-guessing.
What to Do With U.S. Forces in the Persian Gulf
As the United States leaves Afghanistan, the question of troops in the Middle East to support the Afghan mission looms large.
Is Leaving Afghanistan Misguided or Overdue?
Biden’s withdrawal announcement is meant to end a 20-year war, but Washington has been dragged back into conflicts before.
U.S. Bucks Won’t Stop in Afghanistan
Biden administration officials have said U.S. troops are leaving the battlefield in Afghanistan, but the U.S. aid spigot won’t end.
The Wisdom of Leaving Afghanistan
The United States hadn’t accomplished its goals in 20 years. The next few weren’t going to make much of a difference.
Biden Is Done with Afghanistan. Is Afghanistan Done With America?
Pulling out all U.S. troops is the administration’s risky plan to pressure Kabul and the Taliban to make peace.
Biden’s Withdrawal Plan Sets the Clock Ticking in Afghanistan
With troops to depart on Sept. 11, the next five months are critical for any chance of peace.
Biden to Complete Full Afghanistan Withdrawal by Sept. 11
The move will finally end the United States’ longest war.
Afghanistan Needs a Weaker President
Decentralizing power can be key to long-term peace.
A Masterful Account of America’s Doomed Afghanistan Mission
Wesley Morgan’s “The Hardest Place” is embedded reporting at its finest.
How Liberal Values Became a Business in Afghanistan
Washington promised to bring liberal democracy to Kabul. It created a bloated and ineffective sector of artificial NGOs instead.
In Afghanistan, the Choice Isn’t Withdraw or Endless War
A middle path, with a greater role for India, is still possible—and preferable to either extreme.
Women Cut Out of the Afghan Peace Process
Two decades of progress are threatened by the Taliban return—and a hasty U.S. exit.
India Joins the Afghan Peace Negotiations
Long sidelined by Islamabad, Moscow, and Beijing, New Delhi is finally taking a seat at the table.
It’s Time to Prepare for U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan
There are no good choices, but staying on is the worst.
Austin Calls for ‘Responsible’ End to Afghan War
The U.S. defense secretary, in a surprise visit to Afghanistan, warned that Taliban violence remains “pretty high” as Biden weighs withdrawal.