The Pentagon’s accidental move: Leaked documents reveal Donald Trump planned to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by September 11
Leaked Documents Expose Premature US Withdrawal Plan from Afghanistan
The New York Times has released a trove of leaked Pentagon documents that expose plans to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 – the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The documents lay bare the chaotic and haphazard nature of the US withdrawal, which was ultimately completed in August 2021 following the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's swift takeover of the country.According to the New York Times, the leaked documents show that the Pentagon began planning for a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan in early 2021, following the signing of the US-Taliban peace deal in February of that year. The deal called for the withdrawal of all US and NATO troops from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021, in exchange for the Taliban's commitment to prevent terrorist groups from operating in areas under their control.
However, the Biden administration decided to delay the withdrawal until September 11, 2021, in order to give the Afghan government more time to prepare for the transition. The leaked documents show that the Pentagon was concerned about the ability of the Afghan government to withstand a Taliban offensive following the withdrawal of US troops.
The documents also reveal that the Pentagon was concerned about the impact of a complete withdrawal on the morale of the Afghan security forces. The leaked documents show that the Pentagon believed that a complete withdrawal would lead to a collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's takeover of the country.
The leaked documents provide a window into the chaotic and haphazard nature of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The documents show that the Pentagon was aware of the risks of a complete withdrawal, but they proceeded with the plan anyway.
The release of the leaked documents is likely to renew debate about the Biden administration's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The documents provide further evidence that the administration was ill-prepared for the withdrawal and that it failed to adequately plan for the consequences of a complete withdrawal.