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
‘Charlie Wilson’s Playbook’: Lawmaker Pushes Biden to Back Anti-Taliban Resistance
Administration remains focused on evacuation efforts for now.
How Biden Can Save His China Strategy After Afghanistan
Washington needs to give a visible sign of Indo-Pacific commitment.
Afghanistan Braces for a Brain Drain
The Taliban are intent on driving out the very people they need to make the country governable.
Don’t Blame the Afghans
If the United States fails to understand its mistakes, it will continue to repeat them.
What a Taliban Government Will Look Like
Early indications suggest Afghanistan will be led by a 12-man council of criminals, terrorists, and the more pliant members of the former government.
Taiwan Isn’t Afghanistan, Whatever Beijing Says
The fall of Kabul is a crisis of competence, not credibility, for U.S. power in Asia.
‘Europe Runs the Risk of Becoming a Global Strategic Victim’
Retired British Gen. Richard Barrons warns that the United Kingdom and European Union can no longer simply rely on the United States for their security.
A Taliban Challenge: To Learn the Lessons of History
What an ancient citadel can teach us about Afghanistan’s past—and its potential future.
Afghanistan Hasn’t Damaged U.S. Credibility
The withdrawal has been tragic—but it hasn’t been a strategic disaster.
An Anti-Taliban Front Is Already Forming. Can It Last?
The group faces a more powerful Taliban than ever, but public discontent could fuel the resistance.
Lessons From Biden’s Very Bad Week
The U.S. president’s refusal to acknowledge error has dismayed supporters and European allies.
A ‘Digital Dunkirk’ to Evacuate Afghan Allies
Veterans mobilize online to help Afghans fleeing the Taliban.
Nobody Wins in Afghanistan
For China and Russia, the country is a liability, not an asset.
Non-Military Flights From Afghanistan Grounded
A series of snags have kept planes stuck on Kabul’s tarmac.
The United States Keeps Doing What It Can’t
The main lesson from the failed intervention in Afghanistan is about the dangers of self-delusion. Will anyone learn it?
Why We Need to Reckon With Afghanistan’s Colonial Past
From Kabul to Kolkata, South Asian heirs of partition can draw inspiration from their history to chart a sustainable future.