As Afghanistan Nears Collapse, Taliban ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’
The country’s former intelligence chief said the Taliban are torn between placating their foot soldiers and meeting Afghans’ and the international community’s expectations.
Since Afghanistan collapsed to the Taliban on Aug. 15, the country has nose-dived into poverty, hunger, misery, conflict, and uncertainty. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled, and many more are trying to escape. Law and order is disintegrating. Afghanistan has no friends in the international community, and the Taliban, themselves riven by factional disputes, have no diplomatic partners.
Lynne O’Donnell is a columnist at Foreign Policy and an Australian journalist and author. She was the Afghanistan bureau chief for Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press between 2009 and 2017.
Read More
Zalmay Khalilzad: ‘I Will Reflect’ on What U.S. Could Have Done Differently
America’s man in Afghanistan reflects on Trump’s ill-fated peace deal, the pullout, and how everything went wrong.
Afghan Crime Wave Adds to Taliban Dystopia
A rash of robbings, kidnappings, and even killings is aggravating Afghanistan’s dire situation.
More from Foreign Policy
What Produced the China Miracle?
A powerful new book challenges conventional wisdom about the role of the state in Beijing’s rise.
Why Realists Oppose the War in Gaza
If you’re surprised by the movement’s position, you never really understood it.
Consulting Firms Have Stumbled Into a Geopolitical Minefield
The era of free-flowing information is over.
The Man Who Would Help Trump Upend the Global Economy
As a potential U.S. Treasury secretary, Robert Lighthizer has more than trade policy to revolutionize.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
Join the Conversation
Commenting on this and other recent articles is just one benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription.
Already a subscriber? .
Subscribe Subscribe
View Comments
Join the Conversation
Join the conversation on this and other recent Foreign Policy articles when you subscribe now.
Subscribe Subscribe
Not your account?
View Comments
Join the Conversation
Please follow our comment guidelines, stay on topic, and be civil, courteous, and respectful of others’ beliefs.