The 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, a solo decision
At the end of 2020, Sir Laurie Bristow received an unexpected offer from his employer, the Foreign Office, to become Her Majesty's ambassador in Kabul. The position was to be filled in June 2021. He asked for a week to think it over.
At 58 years old, this calm-voiced, slender man with neatly combed gray hair had behind him a distinguished 31-year diplomatic career, including a challenging last post as ambassador in Moscow. He knew Kabul had become one of the world's most dangerous cities. The Taliban were gaining ground toward the capital, from which they had been ousted nearly 20 years earlier by a United States-led coalition in which his country participated.
He suspected his mission would be intense and likely involve closing the United Kingdom's embassy. On February 29, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, promising the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan no later than May 1, 2021.
Rapid acceleration of evacuations
Bristow accepted, of course, after consulting his wife, who not only did not try to dissuade him but asked if she could accompany him (the answer was no). "Someone had to do it," he wrote in an account published in 2024, Kabul: Final Call. He would become the last British ambassador to Afghanistan, after a mission lasting 11 weeks. Shorter and even more dramatic than he had imagined.
In the footsteps of his French counterpart David Martinon, who arrived in 2018 and published his firsthand account in the 2022 book Les 15 jours qui ont fait basculer Kaboul ("The 15 days that changed Kabul"), Bristow described from the inside the extraordinary tension during those summer weeks. The Westerners realized they had to suddenly speed up evacuations, both of their own nationals and of Afghans who had worked with them for 20 years, because the Taliban were rapidly reclaiming the country. Cities fell one after another, inexorably. Soon, it was Kabul's turn. The coalition-trained army collapsed. Without warning, the Western-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, fled to the United Arab Emirates by helicopter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
31 minutes ago
- France 24
If Iran's Khamenei falls, what would replace him?
By striking targets other than nuclear or ballistic facilities, such as Iran's IRIB broadcaster, expectations have grown that Israel has goals beyond degrading Iranian atomic and missile capabilities and eyes removing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But while President Donald Trump has warned "we know" where Khamenei "is hiding", what would follow his removal after over three-and-a-half decades in power is shrouded in uncertainty and risk. European leaders are haunted by the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the NATO-led intervention in Libya in 2011. They resulted in the removal of dictators Saddam Hussein and Moamer Kadhafi but also in years of bloody mayhem in both countries. "The biggest mistake today is to seek regime change in Iran through military means because that would lead to chaos," French President Emmanuel Macron said at the end of the G7 summit in Canada. "Does anyone think that what was done in Iraq in 2003... or what was done in Libya the previous decade was a good idea? No!" Macron said. Analysts say ousting Khamenei and his fellow clerical leaders risks creating a vacuum that could be filled by hardline elements in the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) ideological force or the Iranian military. "Israel's strikes seem more focused on regime change than non-proliferation," said Nicole Grajewski, fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. "Of course Israel is targeting ballistic missile and military related facilities but they are also targeting leadership and symbols of the regime like the IRIB," she told AFP. "If the regime were to fall, the hope would be for a liberal and democratic government. "However, there is a strong likelihood that other powerful entities like the IRGC could emerge as the replacement," she said. 'No organised alternative' Among the highest-profile opposition figures is the US-based Reza Pahlavi, the son of ousted shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He has declared that the Islamic republic is "on the verge of collapse", accusing Khamenei of "hiding underground" like a "frightened rat". Pahlavi has long called for the restoration of the warm relationship that existed between his late father and Israel, to reverse the Islamic republic's refusal to recognise the existence of Israel. Monarchists would like such a rapprochement to be termed the "Cyrus Accords" after the ancient Persian king credited with freeing the Jews from Babylon. But Pahlavi is far from enjoying universal support inside Iran or among exiles. The nationalism of supporters and his ties with Israel are divisive, especially after he refused to condemn the Israeli air strikes on Iran. Another major organised group is the People's Mujahedin (MEK), whose leader Maryam Rajavi told the European Parliament on Wednesday: "The people of Iran want the overthrow of this regime." But the MEK is despised by other opposition factions and regarded with suspicion by some Iranians for its support of Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq war. "Part of the challenge in thinking about alternatives to the Islamic Republic in case it collapses is that there is no organised, democratic alternative," said Thomas Juneau, professor at the University of Ottawa. He said that while Reza Pahlavi is the opposition leader "who has by far the most name recognition both in and out of Iran", his supporters "tend to exaggerate his support inside the country". "The only alternative -- and this is among the worrying scenarios -- is a coup d'etat by the Revolutionary Guards or changing from a theocracy to a military dictatorship." 'Unpredictable scenario' Analysts also warn that a potential -- and often overlooked -- factor for future instability could be Iran's complex ethnic make-up. Large Kurdish, Arab, Baluch and Turkic minorities co-exist alongside the Persian population. "There will also be an effort to capitalise on ethnic divisions by hostile countries," said Grajewski. Analysts at the US-based think tank Soufan Center said that with the survival of the Iranian regime now viewed as a "strategic failure", the prospect of an "Iraq 2.0" is looming. "The post-regime-change scenario remains unpredictable and could trigger regional destabilisation on a scale greater than Iraq, with global ramifications," they said.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Iraq's top Shiite cleric warns against targeting Iran's leadership
Sistani said in a statement Thursday that any targeting of Iran's "supreme religious and political leadership" would have "dire consequences on the region". He warned that such action against the Shiite-led Islamic republic could spark "widespread chaos that would exacerbate the suffering of its (the region's) people and severely harm everyone's interests". Sistani urged the international community to "make every effort to end this unjust war and find a peaceful solution" to concerns about Iran's nuclear programme. Sistani, an Iranian, is the highest religious authority for millions of Shiite Muslims in Iraq and around the world, with the power to mobilise a huge following in Iraq. Despite his Iranian roots, Sistani is seen as a key figure in Iraq's recent history and has been known for pushing back against Tehran's growing clout in the country. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist" after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack. Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out plans to assassinate Khamenei. US President Donald Trump had earlier said his country would not kill Khamenei "for now", but demanded Tehran's "unconditional surrender" and warned he was weighing military action in the conflict. Israel launched a surprise attack Friday targeting Iran's military and nuclear sites and killing top commanders and scientists, saying it is acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran denies. The assault has prompted Iran to retaliate with barrages of missiles on Israel, with residential areas in both countries suffering too. Iraq's National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji urged the European Union on Thursday to exert pressure on Israel to stop the war, ahead of a meeting between Iran and European powers. With warnings of all-out regional war intensifying, fears are growing over an intervention by Iran-backed Iraqi factions, mostly against American interests in the region. 'Destruction' Akram al-Kaabi, the leader of the pro-Iran group, Al-Nujaba, warned the United States against going after Khamenei. "If you harm a hair" of Khamenei's head "you and your allies will be under our fire," Kaabi said in a statement. "No soldier or diplomat will be spared," Kaabi said. "Every person holding your nationality in our region, as well as all your direct or indirect interest will be a legitimate target," he added. The powerful faction Kataeb Hezbollah said that Trump "made a mistake" when he spoke of Khamenei and warned the US president of "unprecedented calamities and destruction" if he goes into war in support of Israel. In Lebanon, Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah warned against threatening Khamenei, describing it as "an act of recklessness and foolishness" that would have "grave consequences". It "constitutes an offence to hundreds of millions of believers", added the group, which suffered heavy blows in its latest confrontation with Israel last year.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Putin says he'd only meet Zelenskyy in 'final stage' of negotiations
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he is open to meeting with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only during a "final stage" of negotiations. "I am even ready to meet him [Zelenskyy] but only if it is some kind of final stage, o as not to sit there and divide something endlessly, but to put an end to it" Putin said on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Wednesday. Putin said that Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to hold another round of discussions after 22 June. Two rounds of direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv failed to make progress on ending Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of peaceful settlement," Putin said. He highlighted that the previous negotiations had led to the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of soldiers killed in the conflict. Putin also reiterated his false claim that Zelenskyy is not Ukraine's legitimate president after his term expired last year. This accusation has been roundly rejected by Kyiv and its allies, as Ukraine's constitution makes it illegal for the country to hold national elections while it's under martial law. During the meeting with senior news agency editors, Putin also talked about the conflict between Israel and Iran, NATO, and Russia's relations with the West. In overnight attacks, Russia struck six Ukrainian regions, having launched 104 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various decoy drones. Of these, 40 were destroyed while 48 were jammed or disabled by electronic warfare, according to Ukraine's military In Kyiv, emergency workers recovered more bodies on Wednesday from the debris of a nine-story apartment building in the Solomianskyi district, which was destroyed by a Russian missile strike. The death toll from this latest attack on the Ukrainian capital has risen to 28. Officials reported that 23 of the victims were inside the building when it was hit and collapsed during what has become the deadliest Russian assault on Kyiv so far this year. The other five fatalities occurred in other parts of the city. The overnight assault from Monday into Tuesday was described by Zelenskyy as one of the largest attacks since the war began. The era of nuclear disarmament appears to have come to an end, experts at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) warned this week. Amid widespread global tensions and regional conflicts, researchers say the number of nuclear weapons appears to have gone up in the past 12 months. The nuclear weapon stockpile is now estimated at 9,614 available warheads - 0.3% more compared to 2024. The total is 12,241, including retired warheads. "By the end of 2024 nuclear disarmament appeared more elusive than at any point since the end of the Cold War", says SIPRI, "especially since strategic dialogue between Russia and the United States has effectively ceased". China's nuclear program is growing faster than any other country thanks to "significant modernisation and expansion work", the report says. Beijing is currently building new silos for its intercontinental ballistic missiles (IBM) in three large fields in the north of the country as well as in three mountainous areas in the central east. Since 2023, its arsenal has expanded by 100 new nukes per year, reaching 600 in 2025, making it the world's third-largest stockpile. However, the vast majority of China's warheads are thought to be stored separately from their launchers. By the end of the decade, the country, which is currently the world's second-largest military spender after the US, could have at least as many ICBMs as either Russia or Washington, although its stockpile is still expected to remain smaller than theirs. Tensions undermined dialogue between China and the US on nuclear-weapon-related issues due to the American support for Taiwan as well as economic sanctions against China. Russia and the US still hold almost 90% of all nuclear weapons. "Both states are implementing extensive modernisation programmes that could increase the size and diversity of their arsenals in the future." says SIPRI. "If no new agreement is reached to cap their stockpiles, the number of warheads they deploy on strategic missiles seems likely to increase after the bilateral 2010 Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) expires in February 2026. In any case, SIPRI analysts say Russia's nuclear modernisation effort has endured a test failure and a further delay for the New Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. Additionally, upgrades of other systems are progressing more slowly than anticipated. In the US, on the other hand, authorities are under pressure by nuclear advocates to keep up with China's new developments. The US could ramp up its capabilities by reactivating empty launchers, increasing its non-strategic nuclear weapons and deploying more warheads to existing launchers. In Europe, France has the largest nuclear arsenal, with 290 weapons - almost all of them are combat-ready. In 2024, Paris continued its development program of third-generation submarine-launched nuclear missiles as well as a new air-launched cruise missile. Like France, the UK has committed to scaling up its maritime nuclear abilities by building four new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. Although the country is believed not to have increased its arsenal last year, which currently stands at 225 nukes, a few weeks ago the government announced new investments in up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines as part of the AUKUS programme. Authorities said that's "in response to the rapidly increasing threats". The investment is part of a £15 billion (€17.5bn) budget in the country's warhead programme.
