The withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan has provoked deep soul-searching in the West. What have we done, and what are we doing now with that rugged land in the heart of Eurasia? This also casts a shadow on the present American choices on China. If Washington was wrong in Afghanistan 20 years ago, can it be right now about the “Middle Kingdom” and its ongoing confrontation?
Still, realistically, after 20 years and hundreds of billions in costs, was it right to continue to pay corrupt leaders not serving their country? Was it necessary to colonize Afghanistan? Was it necessary to bleed in a hopeless war? What is a realistic alternative to withdrawal?
Besides, perhaps it won’t be the end of the world for the United States.
