The Afghan Syndrome in Geopolitics
"They do not try to go beyond their immediate strategic aim, which lies in 'winning the war,' and, contrary to historical experience, believe that military victory will lead to peace... Purely military strategy must be guided by a 'Grand Strategy' possessing a more far-sighted and broader perspective." — B.H. Liddell Hart
"The Graveyard of Empires"—this is how Afghanistan is frequently termed, and indeed, a cursory glance at history confirms this. On February 13, 1989, the last Soviet soldier left the Afghan capital, Kabul. On August 31, 2021, the last American aircraft departed Kabul airport. In both instances, the objectives of the world's superpowers regarding Afghanistan differed; however, today it can be boldly stated that both states returned defeated. As a result of the war, neither could leave behind the kind of peace that would allow us to claim the war ended in victory. Trillions of dollars spent, billions of dollars worth of various types of military hardware and equipment falling into the hands of the Taliban, the country’s uncertain future, and the Taliban returned to the helm of power. Added to this are the strengthened positions of other regional players—such is the incomplete list of results of the United States' longest war.


