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A year after withdrawal, 50% of Americans say Afghanistan war was a mistake
One year after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, 50% of Americans say the United States made a mistake in sending troops to the country, while 46% say it did not.
According to Gallup, this close division of views is similar to two readings last year — one taken before the withdrawal was complete and one afterward — as well as in February 2014.
At all other times since the start of the war in 2001, a majority of Americans thought that going to Afghanistan was not a mistake.
The Afghanistan war cost the U.S. more than $2 trillion.
About one month after then-President George W. Bush ordered the first attacks on Afghanistan by U.S. troops, the effort enjoyed broad bipartisan support.
Yet by 2004, 41% of Democrats considered the war in Afghanistan a mistake, and 26% of independents agreed, compared with 11% of Republicans.
Since then, Democrats and independents have been far more likely than Republicans to say the U.S. had made a mistake by sending troops.
In a poll conducted after the collapse of the former government, 28% of Republicans said the war was a mistake. But now, about a year later, that figure has risen nine percentage points to 37%.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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