How Afghanistan fell to the Taliban
America’s longest war ended abruptly and dramatically. To understand how that happened, we turned to our most experienced reporters – including one who was there in 2001 when U.S. forces arrived. Here are their stories.
Taking responsibility in Afghanistan: A look back, and forwardEdward Girardet, who first reported from Afghanistan for The Christian Science Monitor just before the Soviet invasion in 1979, considers the country’s future.
An Afghanistan veteran’s jagged path from war to peaceAn Afghanistan veteran reflects on his path from war to peace and the need for both separation and connection in order to heal.
In Taliban’s Afghanistan, opportunity for Al Qaeda, ISISAs it exited Afghanistan, the U.S. relied, in part, on Taliban pledges to curb terrorism. The Kabul attack underscores doubts about their abilities.
Afghan diplomacy? What terror attacks mean for West, Taliban.Before the terror attacks in Kabul, diplomatic engagement with the Taliban had its own logic. Now, terror concerns threaten to overshadow all else.
FocusDigital Dunkirk: With clock ticking, veterans race to save comradesWith the Aug. 31 deadline looming, America’s veterans are working round the clock to save their Afghan comrades from the Taliban.
Afghanistan, in person: From tribal ties to pleas for helpIn Afghanistan, the author and her then-fiancé in the Special Forces experienced firsthand the country’s close-knit tribal fabric.
Afghanistan: How the Taliban won over northern ethnic minoritiesThe Taliban path to victory in Kabul ran through northern Afghanistan where a decadelong strategy of recruiting ethnic minorities paid off.
CommentaryLooking back at Afghanistan as the past returnsMonitor correspondent Martin Kuz spent years reporting from Afghanistan for Stars & Stripes. The uncertain future now facing the country was already clear by the war's midpoint.
How the Taliban won: They leveraged Afghan history and cultureThe Taliban’s homegrown strategy took advantage of intimidation, official corruption, and extensive networking to roll up the Afghan countryside.
After Kabul, hard questions about American global leadershipThe Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan has undermined U.S. prestige. But America’s ability to learn from its mistakes may help restore its leadership.
To stay or go? Afghans brace for Taliban rule as US exits.The Taliban’s stunning victory has left Afghan citizens reeling after their political and military leaders folded. Many are fearful for their future.
Cover StoryUnder Taliban rule, Afghans warn of going ‘back to the darkness’During peace talks, Taliban leaders promised a softening of their hard-line stances. Those who have been living under their rule have not seen it.
