By Bonnie Kristian
The May 1 deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan, lynchpin of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal negotiated last year, is now less than a month away. President Joe Biden has yet to say whether he'll abide by the agreement, and key advisers are reportedly pushing him to prolong the "forever war" he promised to end.
Central to many cases for fighting in Afghanistan for another year—or 20—is the plight of women and girls.
"For many Biden administration officials," The New York Times reported, "the issue that has resonated the most clearly is the threat that a Taliban takeover could pose to Afghan women." Choosing "any set date for withdrawing," the Times summarized their thinking, "will doom the mission," leading to "a sharp erosion of women's rights," particularly in rural areas, as the Taliban gains formal power.
This piece was originally published in Newsweek on April 13, 2021. Read more HERE.