Congressional hearings on the Biden administration’s controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 have become a renewed focal point for political narratives about blame. But they also create an opportunity to consider counterfactual hypothetical scenarios that could expand our understanding of the U.S failure in Afghanistan.
U.S. technical consultation with Taliban authorities is necessary to advance specific and urgent interests, such as out-migration of Afghans processed for U.S. residency. But senior overtures to Taliban leadership would require a shift in the policy landscape. That may explain some recent actions taken by the Biden administration.
The United States has placed numerous bureaucratic obstacles in the way of Afghans seeking asylum in the United States. Even the lucky few who have made it to the United States have only been offered temporary refuge, and many now face being returned to Afghanistan.
