As an ally of the US, Australia should be reflecting deeply on America’s third major postwar strategic fiasco. In each, the allies have been let down or suffered. In Afghanistan, in the final analysis, US domestic politics and US interests determined its actions. Allies were left to make do.
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US troops to withdraw from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021
United States President Joe Biden will leave US troops in Afghanistan past the current May 1 deadline agreed with the Taliban but will withdraw them by September 11, US officials said on Tuesday [13 April 2021]. President Biden is expected to lay out his plan during a speech on Wednesday, 14 April 2021.
Read moreRussia hosts Afghanistan peace talks with US, NATO troop withdrawal deadline looming
Russia is to host on Thursday [18 March 2021] the first of three international conferences aimed at jump-starting a stalled Afghanistan peace process ahead of a May 1 deadline for the final withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the country.
Read moreUS troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, Iraq: NATO chief warns Islamic State militants could regroup
Although not unexpected, the timing of the decision to withdraw all but 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq by mid January 2021 has been criticised by NATO allies and senior Republican lawmakers.
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