By Richard Hanania
President Joe Biden is reportedly set to announce that U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11, breaking the agreement the Trump administration signed with the Taliban promising a complete withdrawal by May 1.
This might seem like a short-term extension that simply allows Biden to negotiate better terms that do more to stabilize the U.S.-allied Afghanistan government from the Taliban after an American exit. But staying beyond the May deadline risks escalation on the part of the Taliban that, in turn, could potentially draw the United States into more years of conflict. There is, therefore, no guarantee that the 20th anniversary of the attack on the twin towers will actually be the end of America’s longest war.
While people have debated what staying in Afghanistan would mean for the fate of that country and the U.S. military, it’s not too early to also consider what the political implications of the president’s decision might be — and why they, too, argue for keeping to the May timeline.
This piece was originally published in NBC on April 13, 2021. Read more HERE.