How the US created a disaster in Afghanistan

What was the purpose of America's longest war?
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On August 15, 2021, the Taliban took over Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. The Afghan president fled the country. Almost all of Afghanistan is now under Taliban control. It marks the end of an era: America’s longest war is now over, and it lost. And it happened fast, stunning the world and leaving many in the country racing to find an exit.
But even among those surprised by the way the end played out, many knew the war was destined to end badly. According to some experts, the seeds of disaster were planted back at the war’s very beginning.
Ever since the American war in Afghanistan began in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the US government has struggled with answering exactly why the military was there. In the very beginning the goal was relatively clear: to capture the perpetrator of the attacks, Osama bin Laden. But almost immediately, the goals became murkier, and more complicated.
In this video, investigative reporter Azmat Khan and former US ambassador to Afghanistan Michael McKinley explain what the US military was actually doing in Afghanistan, what it got wrong, and why America’s long intervention there is considered a failure.
Some of the sources we used in our reporting:
This report from Brown University’s Cost of War project has good data on how many Afghan civilians have beem killed in airstrikes:
watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/f...
The comparison of American attitudes towards the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are from Gallup polls:
news.gallup.com/poll/1633/ira...
news.gallup.com/poll/167471/a...
This annual report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan reconstruction provided us with a lot of information on US money and resources spent on Afghanistan since the start of the war:
www.sigar.mil/pdf/lessonslear...
The Long War Journal’s maps on Taliban control helped us visualize how they gained ground over time: www.longwarjournal.org/mappin...
Other sources that we recommend for understanding this story:
No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban and the War Through Afghan Eyes By Anand Gopal: us.macmillan.com/books/978080...
The Whitewashing of the Afghan War by Emran Feroz: t.co/5y5UUDNyAl?amp=1
On the ground reporting by Ali M. Latifi: t.co/ibN6QeD7yV?amp=1
The Washington Post’s Afghanistan Papers database: www.washingtonpost.com/graphi...
Ghost Students, Ghost Teachers, Ghost School by Azmat Khan: www.buzzfeednews.com/article/...
We all lost Afghanistan by Michael McKinley: www.foreignaffairs.com/articl...
Vox Reporting:
The rapid fall of Afghanistan to Taliban forces, explained by Natasha Ishak: www.vox.com/2021/8/15/2262608...
Who are the Taliban now, by Jen Kirby: www.vox.com/22626240/taliban-...
Why Biden was so set on withdrawing from Afghanistan, by Andrew Prokop: www.vox.com/2021/8/18/2262913...
The history of US intervention in Afghanistan, from the Cold War to 9/11, by Emily Stewart: www.vox.com/world/22634008/us...
The US needs to meet its moral obligation to Afghan refugees, by Li Zhou: www.vox.com/22627834/afghanis...
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H

[@Vox]

Thanks for watching. In the video description we’ve left links to the sources that helped us understand this story better. We also published a video in 2018 that focused specifically on the failures of American reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, and why the US wasn’t able to rebuild the country. You can watch that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jny5dYuYftWKb7M

[@DyslexicMitochondria]

Hey vox, don't you think it's Afghan National armys fault for being so incompetent. I don't think us is the one to be entirely blamed here

[@williamcunninghammorrison3894]

You people forgot to mention Pakistan. They help and created Taliban

[@JoshPitts530]

What about the part where the CIA funded the Bin Laden family decades ago and created the heroin trade that actually started this mess in the first place?

[@kevin_mitchell]

​@Mr. Goldstein Its called focus. The focus of this video is not the whole history of Afghanistan, or the parts the you want. There's plenty of videos of historical context, including from Vox. I don't want watch to repeats of history every time I watch a video centred on a particular time frame or topic.

[@11305205219]

hope vox team can report Taiwan train crash cause dozens dead in this year tragedy

[@TheShodan92]

If you ever feel useless... remember... it took the United States 20 years, trillions of dollars and 4 U.S Presidents to replace the Taliban with the Taliban.

[@PK-tt5kk]

LOL

[@noakinn]

Saw this exact comment on a bbc video

[@HeronCalaris]

Sir! I Salute You! Underrated comment right there. For me: You wins the The Internets... Today!

[@petrichor495]

I need my tax back

[@abdulazizalbloshi5576]

@@petrichor495 your army lost , now tribal Afghans has full benefits of the aircrafts , weapons and military equipments you paid for.

[@IbrahimAli-vv3df]

The British taught the Americans well, how to create a mess around.

[@aldrichhf35]

And they kept calling my mates the monster these days

[@CHAHAL491]

So true . U can see it everywhere. Middle East , India and Pakistan, African countries. Communities against community

[@popkhorne5372]

@ which is what is implied. Since the US is essentially Europe's (and especially Britain's) child.

[@a.hassanhale3326]

True, like father like son.

[@fuhrfhrei3441]

@@popkhorne5372 definitely not true anymore

[@jamiebooth3181]

'History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme' - Mark Twain

[@legohivemind950]

History dose repeat itself

[@johnpapp1429]

“It’s like poetry, it rhymes!” - George Lucas

[@JohnDoe-gx7rn]

Jamie ,or echo

[@richtofen4888]

@@legohivemind950 «dose»

[@mustafamandasour7386]

@@johnpapp1429 India and Pakistan are next door no better place to show why foreigners should not try to govern a foreign people

[@ajinkya5574]

“To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal.” - Henry Kissinger

[@makara2711]

Ben Laden hated the US for many reasons: 1. The US has double standards in favor of Israel against the Palestine. 2. The US keeps bombing cities and commiting atrocities in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and other Muslim countries. 3. The US military dared to occupy Mecca and Medina, the holiest sites of Islam, which is an outright disrespect to Islam and Muslims around the globe. 4. The US is so ignorant when it comes to viewing other people's way of living. They want the Muslim countries to copy America's democratic model, totally undermining the cultural, religious, and social factors that builds the foundation for those countries.

[@ozil211]

Tell that to NATO and the U.N. I bet they'll be scrambling to leave as soon as possible.

[@soledieairvideos5974]

I hate Kissinger but that’s is the perfect quote.

[@orecreeper2128]

still better than being a friend of the soviets XD

[@autismspirit]

@@orecreeper2128 the soviets have been gone for almost 30 years bro, the US afghan operation started way after the union fell. Most of these useless wars are entirely on the US

[@CelestialSoul]

In the end, it's the civilians that suffer.

[@CristianLopez-xi4rt]

Exactly, after 20 years of getting PTSD due to US bombings now back to Talibanistan. I hope there is a resistance uprise and hopefully they get out of the middle ages way of thinking. But with the Afghan army failure who knows?

[@DursunX]

always!

[@raiorai2]

@curio Germany was also a *representative* democracy in 1936. The US was a representative democracy while it had slaves, when it nuked thousands in Japan, when it exterminated civilians in Vietnam. Representative democracies are not enough.

[@badreddinekasmi8919]

@curio If first world countries like America still get someone they were majoritarely against like Trump, how fair do you think elections in third world countries like Afghanistan are?

[@truthboom]

@curio you can't simply remove corrupted government, just look at north korea for example

[@ludoviajante]

Here in Brazil we have a saying: "things could be worse, but it could also be MUCH better". So many innocent lives lost, it's a shame.

[@gre7310]

@Biden won, get over it Trump supporters The main question everyone should be asking is: Who is changing Joe's diapers?

[@thelurker1330]

@Biden won, get over it Trump supporters what does trump have to do with this

[@IndelibleHD]

@Biden won, get over it Trump supporters What kind of gear are you on mate?

[@averyburney1399]

@Biden won, get over it Trump supporters first of all trump is going to be in the election in 2024

[@averyburney1399]

@Biden won, get over it Trump supporters what about the other Presidents?

[@Alepfi5599]

You forgot to mention that most of the money that went "into" Afghanistan was actually paid to american companies and contractors to do all the reconstruction and build up. So the local economy didn't see a penny a lot of the time. The money went back to U.S. corporations.

[@keepingbloodpuretypenation5906]

Hate your ideology but you guys say lot's of truth about those evil gigantic corporations and companies Edited:i added word "say"

[@mr.mustang656]

Based AnCom

[@Alepfi5599]

@@mr.mustang656 Always, comrade.

[@Spergy]

nice opinion but you are an ancom so ur opinion is invalid

[@mr.mustang656]

@@Spergy im an anprim

[@williamsherman1942]

“You cannot defeat a enemy which looks at the scope of a rifle and sees paradise.” - Soviet saying about Afghanistan

[@Henri_Hilarious]

I feel awful for the average citizens of Afghanistan, because they are the people who suffer the most from this brutal conflict. My heart goes out to the people who just want an education!

[@shifty530]

Just wait till the Taliban sell their natural resources to China and buy Russian made military equipment with the money.

[@jaakkovirtamo]

Why? The majority of Afghanis want the Taliban to be in charge

[@jponz85]

@@jaakkovirtamo even if that's true, just wait... they'll regret that decision anyways lol

[@BA-pc2lu]

@@jaakkovirtamo most people do not support the Taliban in Afghanistan.

[@OurLordandSaviorSigmar]

They also brought it upon themselves. The US was in the country for 20 years, trying to create an Afghan nation, yet they still see themselves as Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, etc.. They don't care about who rules the country, for as long as their own tribes or families are on the winning side.

[@uss_04]

20 years later, yeah that an entire generation. As someone who graduated in the 2000s, it’s not just a mess, but a reminder of the passage of time.

[@acidducks9476]

time just does that thing

[@DursunX]

unfortunately, i mark history with major conflicts. i remember timelines and wars... happy events dont happen anymore. i feel sorry for the youth of today, they've never seen a peaceful world

[@bigfoothunter8080]

@@DursunX What??? The world is more peaceful now than almost any other time in human history.

[@intrepid.]

@@DursunX Uhh we don't have any major wars. We are in Pax Americana

[@angelgjr1999]

We were in Afghanistan my entire life. I’m in my 20s.

[@geetharamkumar6509]

It's really bizzare how they never say, that the US was the one to train these people when they were against the Soviets.

[@zylnexxd842]

Everyone has already discussed that topic kiddo

[@oldskoolordie]

Watch Rambo iii

[@sababugs1125]

Taliban formed after ussr left Afghanistan . People who fought the Soviets are in their 60s by now

[@oldskoolordie]

@@sababugs1125 keep blaming Russia or China rather than accept that america did some shady things

[@sababugs1125]

@@oldskoolordie when did I blame Russia ? USA didn't train the Taliban . People who are currently members of the Taliban are mostly former refugees and local recruits .

[@HughJass-jv2lt]

Moral of the story: *NEVER* put your Life in the hands of the *U.S. Military Industrial Complex* 🔥🔥

[@nanilama7016]

Japan and S. Korea : Lol

[@kevinlification]

@@nanilama7016 Taiwan: lol

[@sabyasachisitakantajena1653]

As if they did that knowingly 🙄

[@klaudinegarcia8932]

@@nanilama7016 Phillipines: lol

[@Alex_Aramayo]

This is obviously a troll comment if not you're amazingly ignorant

[@yadisfhaddad722]

The real beginning of the US mess in Afghanistan should include the 80's and the American support for the Mujahadeen.

[@smitbangare9526]

yeah, how they topple the USSR-backed government and how did US funneled money and support to mujahedeen. The vox has just shown surface of Afghanistan conflict.

[@utkarshverma7]

Well all the terrorist org and top terrorist like OBL are creation of USA , because of soviet and it all coming back to bite them now ,

[@byron-ih2ge]

In this act, US was the wholesaler and pakistan the retailer..

[@vule92994]

There is even Hillary Clinton talk on this matter, on yt. How effectively the whole Mujahedeen creation by US is ignored is criminal

[@skylangford6083]

That's a great point Yadisf!

[@hilal_younus]

Waiting for the “How the US Created a monster in Afghanistan” episode…

[@MrDICKHEAD28]

AMERICA IS THE MONSTER AMERICA LEAVES A TRAIL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

[@WycliffStudios]

@@MrDICKHEAD28 oh and radicals from their lands have nothing to do with it?

[@bioshock7459]

@@WycliffStudios They wouldn’t have much power if the US didn’t provide funds and training to them.

[@soledieairvideos5974]

@@bioshock7459 true, the U.S. literally built the Taliban

[@MrDICKHEAD28]

@@WycliffStudios NOPE AMERICA CAME WITH FREEDOM BOMBS FREEDOM RIFLES ARRESTING POLITICAL PRISONERS AND SENT THEM TO GITMO TORTURE CAMP

[@chrisorr3919]

You need to go further back then 2001 to understand the us involvement in Afghanistan. It really started in the 1980s

[@ann4714]

if i may ask, what happened in the 1980s?

[@vladivosdog]

@@ann4714 for one the soviets invaded afghanistan

[@brandonarmienti6875]

You mean the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? Cause that's where this all began.

[@zerberk3007]

Its all about oil

[@wallingnaga6563]

@@zerberk3007 Afghanistan doesn’t have Oil .

[@ramal5708]

"Only the dead that have seen the end of war" - Plato

[@jerrylee2326]

Feel like this video doesn't give ENOUGH attention to the fact that the Taliban offered up Bin Laden, and Rumsfeld and Bush declined because they needed to make money off of defense contractors

[@ryanlogan7330]

Oh good job Vox. This could be a series, "How the US created a disaster in ___ ". I assume the blank can be filled with lots of names.

[@leodahvee]

How the US created a disaster in the US

[@MrDICKHEAD28]

YET VOX OPENLY CHEER LEADING WAR AGAINST LIBYA SYRIA IRAQ NOW IT SWITCHES BACK TO BEING CRITICAL OF IT

[@timothymatthews6458]

@@BooksRebound Jonny Harris videos have been debunked.

[@abd00]

@@timothymatthews6458 wdym

[@soledieairvideos5974]

“In…the whole world” lol

[@alexleung842]

You should have gone all the way back to the Soviet invasion for a more full picture.

[@williamcunninghammorrison3894]

@al alex yeah man. Islam really breeds terrorism

[@JP-br4mx]

we dont really care

[@JP-br4mx]

@al alex sweetie the democrat was the republicans and republicans were the democrats

[@seoulglo1999]

@al alex Yes, 1 switched sides in Congress. About 30 million switched in Southern states.

[@_FireHeart]

@al alex

[@domc3040]

A major factor you didn't mention, it wasn't just air power that the US were providing to the Afghan forces, it was logistics. The Afghan army was reconstructed in the image of the US army, which requires a huge amount of backroom and logistical support. Instead of training Afghans to provide this, the US paid billions for contractors to come and do the job (I wonder why, given that the contractors have rich lobbyists...). And when the US left, so did the contractors, which pretty drastically reduced the effectiveness of the Afghan forces.

[@TheScorpioTechno]

THANK YOU you said it... this was the cause of the collapse

[@chris_t2020]

Because they didn't want to create an smart enemy like they did with ISIS.

[@alwayzsleepy8749]

"After 20 years, there was never a good time to withdraw US Forces"...

[@juniormynos9457]

Question is when was it a good time to invade?

[@bunbun382]

@@NorskeniSverige if they leave, wouldn't afghanistan leave with nth?

[@BeachBoi1000]

The reconstruction is …. To rebuild Taliban.

[@ramr7051]

@@NorskeniSverige he died 10 years after the invasion, and he wasn't even in Afghanistan.

[@andrewyang6901]

@@juniormynos9457 if they did not invade, thousands of women would be oppressed in Afghanistan

[@batman_2004]

U.S is good at profiting and leaving the land in chaos.

[@Farrierr]

It's not good, its BEST

[@JaX-cu7hb]

The US did not profit at all

[@KingKhan-ec9os]

@@JaX-cu7hb then u r from those people who r delusional

[@aeebeecee3737]

US no profit at all, but be costed a lot.

[@henrichlacao1007]

Philippines might be one of its victims

[@bipgtm768]

Step to get rich: 1. Sell weapons to country 2. Fight with same people with more advanced weapons. And BOOM you're rich now

[@rayantovi]

Most important: Blame it on the people and their religion

[@FlatEarthKiller]

@@rayantovi and spam ez after killing a guy

[@laksh_ayy]

The atrocities and crime by the Taliban aside, US should stop meddling in affairs of other countries. But ofcourse how would the arms manufacturers profit then?

[@Tienisto]

It was a direct response to 9/11

[@Joostuh]

@@Tienisto Look at the death tolls of both actions. I don't see how anyone can justify that.

[@emanfarouk7115]

Also mining the afghan resources

[@laksh_ayy]

@@Tienisto And 9/11 was direct response to several other intermeddling that US was doing in middle east.

[@nonie18]

@@Tienisto US kept meddling with other countries waaay before 9/11

[@ErnestJay88]

"Thanks for every weapon and infrastructure that you guys left for us to take" Sincerely, Taliban.

[@gzSING]

The Taliban will now be better equipped, with more sophisticated equipment and weapons, and better war experienced, all thanks to everything the Americans left behind for the Afghan army which decided to surrender. Which sounds like a very familiar story because the Americans created who Bin Laden was: they armed him and they called him friend, against the soviets. Haha.

[@nuh-protaliban5739]

May Allah reward Taliban! Law of God for all Afghans and soon the world!

[@adam6543]

The USA with satellites, air forces and trillion of dollars worth of equipment couldn't beat a few sandy wearing Sandals 😂

[@analcommando1124]

Taliban will remember how 20 years ago they were quickly and easily kicked out of power. It is one thing to use guerilla warfare when you dont have control of the country or government. But it is a different thing to hold on to power against a vastly superior invading army. I dont think the Taliban want to lose power again and they know they can do what they want - just dont let terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a base to launch attacks against America. I mean it's a very low bar for the Taliban to clear.

[@jay-xj1om]

@@nuh-protaliban5739 If you cared about the law of God you wouldn't allow mortal idols to dictate over you. By doing so you are actively defying all prophets and the word of God.

[@isse6790]

Arab mujahideen groups like bin Ladens never received support from America.

[@easonc2884]

Still, this doesn't explain what most people really are wondering: Wasn't the US training the Afghanistan troops for years, how come they just went down without a fight

[@khatmuljahiliya139]

Actually it does... people don't fight for a corrupt regime or regime that doesn't truly represent them

[@levbobrov1398]

After Iraq and ISIS nobody is asking for an explanation. We already know.

[@Dr_Nomad]

Because of ghost soldiers

[@chriss780]

because they wanted money to live, but they had no actual loyalty to a corrupt government look how the president fled with suitcases full of millions of stolen us "aid"

[@Jake.gr2]

It's kind of shameful apart to what the us did

[@sourabhs14]

"There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen"--Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

[@joermnyc]

Between this, Iraq and (South) Vietnam, we genuinely stink at “nation building” and probably should just let the UN and their peacekeeping forces do that job. But no, that won’t feed the Military Industrial Complex… we ignored Eisenhower’s warning to our peril.

[@KiwiGraggle]

Yes you and the UK do.

[@omanajz]

@New Car Smell yes it is always about profit making.

[@WycliffStudios]

@@omanajz what product do the US make from this war?

[@omanajz]

@@WycliffStudios oil and construction

[@Gm_1221]

That's because "nation building" is not a feasible concept

[@zetazimmer4769]

The lesson is pretty clear: cooperate with and help America, and you’ll be left for dead.

[@australianwoman2176]

At least here in Australia we actually came to evacuate our soldiers and people who helped us

[@miss42310]

Correct..no one should seek help or do this ever again

[@QWERTY-gp8fd]

88k allied afghan nationals,americans were evacuated. so disorganized

[@marcuslaw6149]

Or You can side with China, and the US will back down to China. Beijing Biden

[@zetazimmer4769]

@@marcuslaw6149 I'm not up to speed on my conservative conspiracy theories, is this about the time Trump tried to bribe China to find dirt on Biden and ya'll just pretended like he wasn't caught red-handed?

[@robinli2171]

okay, so it was the Vietnam war, Korean war, and now the war in Afghanistan, great job USA!

[@ZeroResurrected]

Actually, the US won the Korean War. The goal was to save South Korea and that goal was achieved

[@FlatEarthKiller]

@@ZeroResurrected but it was a stalemate Stop spamming ez to this day

[@robinli2171]

@@ZeroResurrected IMAO, the "Korea" still divided by half, families, brothers and sisters separated, the goal might achieved, but still...a mess.

[@abigailroberts7943]

Looking at the outcome of North and South Korea today, the Korean War is a big success for the US.

[@FlatEarthKiller]

@@robinli2171 nah the USA spammed ez 24/7

[@andycoe23]

You forgot: - get minerals - control pipelines

[@Mo74mmad]

This deserves more likes

[@marrickvillian]

If it was really about the rights of women, why wasn't Saudi Arabia invaded? If it was revenge for 9/11, why wasn't Saudi Arabia invaded? Think about that next time you are filling your car with petrol that is cheaper than bottled water.

[@BruceWayne-qe7bs]

Saudhi was US ally. Its common sense.

[@thirstyjogger]

@@BruceWayne-qe7bs That means they don't really care about women rights that's what he is trying to say

[@knightrider693]

US and Canada have enough oil alone to support themselves. The oil theory is a myth. They'd be more apt to war for political reasons and for defense company's to make a profit than for gas

[@BruceWayne-qe7bs]

@@thirstyjogger Yes, no one denied it. Its just an excuse or a small point to support the invasion of Afganistan. Everyone knows US invade Afganistan for capturing Osama bin laden not for womens rights . "Only interest " matters in international relations. In 1971 Pakistan killed about 3 million people in East Pakistan ( now Bangladesh ). Then India and Soviet helped the Bangladesh to fight back. At tht time despite the Cruel acts of Pakistan, the US sends a fleet and 7 Aircraft carriers to help Pakistan. USA also defended Pakistan's acts on Bangladeshi people.

[@BruceWayne-qe7bs]

@@knightrider693 Yes, I don't know why people say oil, oil all the time. America is the largest producer of oil. America invaded South Korea, Japan, Germany etc also. They are developed countries. The problem is with Islamic countries.

[@obbeachbum69]

I love how every news organization has a hot take on Afghanistan when none of them ran a single story about the conflict for the last 8+ years.

[@supermananimationsstudios8519]

Fr

[@elliotw.888]

vox ran some stories of them back in 2018

[@joshuastoltzfus4910]

This deserves more recognition, straight facts

[@Oropher420]

What are you talking about? Vox been talking about it years ago.

[@Gichini]

You must catch the trend train to get views

[@V1b2910]

"You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours." Indeed. 13 American officials killed in Kabul blasts days after this happened.

[@alexhumble7653]

Don’t forget that after the blast Americans immediately retaliated. They started shooting the armless civilians killing and wounding many.

[@intranext1359]

@@alexhumble7653 no

[@beyond-journeys-end]

@@alexhumble7653 Im so feetup with usa that i almost blindly belive you.

[@uk6396]

If they were in the US and not in Kabul, they wouldn‘t have died.

[@khoirulanam9141]

"sorry but war ignites our war factory, it's more profitable than helping our people who are hungry, homeless and who can't afford hospital fees" - White House

[@munibowais]

In the words of Julian Assange: "The war in Afghanistan was not supposed to end. But to continue."

[@ultracapitalistutopia3550]

And Biden broke the loop. I salute him.

[@StarKillerSK]

@@ultracapitalistutopia3550 it wasn't biden it was trump

[@jmckendry84]

@@StarKillerSK Trump said he was going to do it but didn't. Just another broken promise from him.

[@StarKillerSK]

@@jmckendry84 but slow biden did it anyway

[@QWERTY-gp8fd]

@@StarKillerSK biden was capable of withdrawing usa troops within his first year is *slow* . but trump that didnt even pull single troops from afghan within 4 year is not slow? hmm.

[@SaulGoodman264]

So 20 years later an armed and guarded Taliban using U.S. Weapons, thousands of U.S. Soldiers and Afghan Civilians gone. It was quite literally all for nothing.

[@indrapratama9790]

At least they are trying something, doing something that ends meaningless is better than doing nothing

[@StreetDrilla]

@@mikko3 Too much wrong with someone. you should delete your comment to prevent any further display of ignorance.

[@uk6396]

The people in charge got rich. Mission accomplished

[@jeffsutton4784]

Did you serve?

[@The88Cheat]

What I hate most is that *there were people who saw what was going and tried to raise the alarm* and those in charge still kept on making the same mistakes.

[@394pjo]

_“If we had known what to expect from the Americans we would never have resisted the Soviet Union”_ Haibatullah Akhundzada - Taliban supreme leader - July 2021

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

Well, maybe he can apply for a loan from the USSR ?

[@TheCapn23]

The Taliban and Mujahideen are not the same.

[@nimishtomar]

@@TheCapn23 Mujahideen birthed taliban atleast?

[@sterreputs7456]

Meanwhile communism is specifically anti religious, but yeah i didnt expect any sound logic from a Taliban terrorist

[@labrynth2590]

@@sterreputs7456 that's not true, religious freedom can coexist with communism, but the society has to be a secular one and religion will be practiced at home instead of state level

[@mtwata]

"The military intelligence, Two words combined that can't make sense"- Mustaine, Dave

[@nhanle4556]

oxymoron you mean?

[@syedmoinuddin7323]

Woahh

[@oreofudgeman]

I wouldnt really take anything mustaine says seriously considering he went from being anti-government to supporting right wing bootlickers.

[@OFP_TODAY]

we’re going to take advice from rock stars now, huh. The dude never even served🙄Intel was used since our revolutionary war and even before that gtfoh

[@Flipflop437]

Taliban: We have Bin Laden right here if you want us to give him to you. US: No, we want to spend trillions of dollars, thousands of lives, and several decades to get him.

[@greob]

Imagine the number of kids that grew up in 20 years... yeah, they're the ones holding the guns now.

[@ahmadnoureddine147]

I thought the video is going to talk about how the US actually had a role in the creation of Taliban back in the 20th century!!

[@TathD]

That's too much history for a channel like Vox.

[@asheur9488]

CIA 1995 « Afghan program »

[@sababugs1125]

Because the USA didn't . Taliban was created in 1995 after ussr collapsed by former refugees. USA at that time wasn't involved in Afghanistan

[@ahmadnoureddine147]

@@sababugs1125 lol

[@russkof619elite3]

@@sababugs1125 nice joke made me laugh 🗿

[@seth_deegan]

All this did was outline the history of the war in Afghanistan. There's no explanation into "How the US created a disaster in Afghanistan"

[@MolitorCa]

4:46 - 5:08

[@unliving_ball_of_gas]

@@MolitorCa Ah

[@tapgames3465]

Should have atleast go further from the invation of the soviets in Afghanistan

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

Disaster only to the commuinsts. Taliban will not play nice and lick the feet of Xi Jinping.

[@jaredmoss5064]

"Yeah he was a warlord - but he was _our_ warlord."

[@IvanTravels]

Nobody is glued to their TV screen… we all have smart phones 📱

[@adityajain8689]

hahahaha

[@ron_beats]

One thing not mentioned in the video is the fact that a MONTH after 9/11, the Taliban would've been willing to discuss handing over bin Laden to a neutral country if (1)The U.S. stopped it's air campaign against Afghanistan and (2) If given evidence of bin Laden's involvement in the 9/11 attacks. Of course Bush at the time responding with "There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty" and rejected it as "non-negotiable". American exceptionalism at its finest.

[@Alex_Aramayo]

Don't blame the pple blame the president, just like how Biden handled the evacuation

[@timkey_4542]

1:54

[@myboringbedroom]

@@timkey_4542 lol he didn’t watch the video

[@bismakaleem5555]

Source?

[@OmnoWombo]

It's mentioned in the video, which you seem to not have watched.

[@nicollaney]

Yeah beginning the war is a failure because the Taliban was always going to regain control because it was their country no matter whether they were temporarily defeated or not.

[@alvinmario8233]

Yeah a job half done is a job undone

[@bobbyman410]

Finally, someone who pronounces "Afghanistan" correctly

[@RobertWilliams-eu8vb]

Thats how the Taliban took it over so quickly. They know the correct pronunciation

[@aeebeecee3737]

it doesn’t matter

[@DreErdna]

@@aeebeecee3737 so how someone says your name don’t matter?

[@aeebeecee3737]

@@DreErdna Because it is just a code. Because regardless what code you use, just only use same code with same way to represent same thing consistently in same scope, and it Doesn’t matter a computational system to understand it. So it never matter. Practical observation evidences such as Chinese never use afghan to call this country, Chinese only use Chinese character to represent things, and it never matter Chinese to understand a things. The same Japanese only use Japanese words to say things, and it works very well. Also digital computer only use 1, 0 binary code to represent and compute the hole university, and it Never mater computer to compute and get result. The algorithm and the data structure will very matter it, But witch name or code never matter.

[@aeebeecee3737]

@Gek Mixes for what?

[@jamaly77]

Shoutout to any foreign soldier who died in Afghanistan! You threw your life away for politicians! What a shame...

[@cancerino666]

If you put trillions into an institution budget, it will feel obliged to justify its existence. The US Army (+contractors) is just unnecessarily big.

[@mpemberton7760]

And that bloated behemoth will always insist that it needs more.

[@user-jg3qh2cq7e]

If you don't have an enemy create one

[@saintquarantine2399]

@Cancerino - they are the true powers behind the throne.

[@nalayeplikethelion]

I was just a kid but I remember when this all started 🥺 so many lives lost for nothing!

[@nanpart1780]

@@KESTRAL23 you have a brain so why don't you use it ❤️

[@VirtualFeats]

My thoughts and prayers are for the individuals who had to endure this sending love from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@shothamudau1950]

you could send money mate

[@Messup7654]

@@shothamudau1950😂😂😂

[@Cohdiboi]

“It is a failure in the part of the US government” as the very last sentence is, in my opinion, a terrible conclusion and/or summary. We have been over there for 20 years. If the Afghan people were not ready to fight against the Taliban by now, they were never going to be. And it had gotten to be way too difficult to justify continuing to stay over there until they *were* ready - when it was apparent they were never going to be.

[@googlebanmetoomuch2601]

Occupying a foreign country has never worked out well for America...

[@sirclutch_alot8323]

Worked pretty well in South Korea,Philippines, Puerto Rico,Japan etc

[@juniormynos9457]

It never work out well for the occupied country

[@triadwarfare]

@@juniormynos9457 Japan and South Korea: hold my matcha tea

[@Belioyt]

@@triadwarfare tell me what happens if they are to withdraw?

[@bradenallen1241]

Are we just ignoring South Korea, Japan, etc.?

[@ooogabooogaa]

I'm 20 and knowing the fact that there are so many people 20 and below in Afghanistan who weren't born while the Taliban was in control and to see how their lives have come to an utter turn. If I was an Afghan, I wouldn't know where to go what to do, Cry or be angry, run or stay in a situation I have never dealt with ever since the day I was born. This is just sad

[@Youtuberhannah]

Those people are lucky than to be born in the USA . I'd love to trade spots with them 😢.. I'd trade the USA passport for Afghanistan candy to be honest.

[@korosuke1788]

If you were an afghan you'd be a taliban celebrating the defeat of the foreign invader, like most of the population.

[@abdirahmaanmohamed1582]

They're in better with Taliban than with the US.

[@sweethomealabama6695]

Ahh yes, America attacking civilians in a war. Good ol america

[@triple-noo]

And two years later the afghan currency is the best performing currency.

[@hatsumomo4307]

The old American hypocrisy ❤

[@williamcunninghammorrison3894]

Not our war buddy. Bin laden is killed

[@axios7603]

@@williamcunninghammorrison3894 what did it cost? thousands of civillians? destruction?

[@sriharsha5900]

@@williamcunninghammorrison3894 not your war? who funded taliban then? who promised to establish democracy in Afghanistan? Now that you have lost it's not your war anymore. lol. Classic american.

[@QWERTY-gp8fd]

@@sriharsha5900 isi funded taliban. mujihadeen was not taliban. murica never promised democracy. it promoted stability. cant blame murica for afghan government surrender. they literally lost kabul in 1 day.

[@aidancallahan6271]

What is?

[@mmink9336]

People don't care about the "why" we left Afghanistan its about the "How". Everyone agrees that we should've left Afghanistan years ago but the problem is how badly organized this is. Its honestly horrific.

[@gregb869]

Over 80k evacuated and 0 us deaths...so disorganized

[@GPH-px8lb]

you are 100% correct

[@Misaki11111]

It doesn’t matter when the US leave, the moment they leave, people will panic because they’re afraid of the Taliban. Those people create a mess, I don’t think asking them nicely to stay home after announcing that US troops are leaving will do, don’t you think so?

[@ToyaF82]

✔

[@taimoortariq8738]

@@gregb869 what about the 10 marines? Or was that false? bruh

[@hackingsquad216]

In movies, US is shown as superior country that can do everything for safety of world. But after seeing US failed to predict Covid19 and pace at which Taliban took control over Kabul, really make s me doubt all those movies.

[@nurmrym]

You invade one country and expect they did not react.

[@Siripangelfish]

US troops could not find "weapons of mass destruction" in Afghanistan. But Taliban found mass of weapons left behind. How ironic is that

[@viper2148]

Good job Biden.

[@RebbeccaGuaylover]

@@viper2148 oh so they are going to come to america and shoot you with them right?

[@viper2148]

@@RebbeccaGuaylover no Jezebelle (you halfwit) they're going to shoot my fellow Americans whom Biden left stranded in Afghanistan with them.

[@RebbeccaGuaylover]

@@viper2148 but there is still 5 days left and only 1 thousand Americans left. They've evacuated 107 thousand NATO allies, citizens and refugees. The only Americans that are left, are Americans that want to stay, and armed mercenaries.....so I ask you again, which americans will they shoot if they wont be coming to america to shoot you?

[@RebbeccaGuaylover]

@@viper2148 and then what about the 300 million dollars cost per day for keeping the U.S troops there for 20 years. Why arent you crying about those weapons? We've been leaving weapons there for years but now your whining about weapons there now?

[@bradley8575]

Vox:How the US created a disaster in Afghanistan Britain and the Soviet Union:Hold my Tea and Vodka.

[@abeltesfaye8899]

The Brits didn't fall because of Afghanistan

[@bradley8575]

@@abeltesfaye8899 yes but the British did invade Afghanistan in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries twice and they Failed the Soviets Invaded and started the instability in Afghanistan Today they failed we went in and we failed too.

[@Belioyt]

A lot of conflicts in this current day and age can be traced back to a British man drawing lines on a map.

[@raiorai2]

Only the latest Empire to make Afghanistan its victime

[@hiii4542]

@@bradley8575 the British won the second time

[@bana2s]

It’s disingenuous at best to say that the 9/11 attacks were “the beginning”. It was the arming of Afghani rebels by the US (to fight the Soviet occupying forces) that created the Taliban, and it was the stationing of US troops in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm that “inspired” bin Laden to form al Qaeda. Not saying that means the US is to blame, just that these things rarely have a simple, definable starting point.

[@pramilashaktawat4429]

🔴SERCH ADITYA RATHORE-HE ALSO MAKES INFORMATIVE CONTENT LIKE VOX

[@brandonarmienti6875]

Thank you!! A lot of people truly forgets the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. That was the true birthplace of the Taliban.

[@saikumarshakthi9026]

I was waiting for your take on this issue. 👍 Verry well done

[@SolinoOruki]

This is such a meh video that really fails to acknowledge US's catastrophic presence in Afghanistan, the mass killing of civilians in hundreds of thousands, and the utter failure of achieving any success whatsoever.

[@matthughes2446]

20 years of madness to replace the Taliban with the Taliban.... nice work USA

[@ugaasfoodey3470]

To be sincerely speaking in my humble opinion without being sentimental and of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my opinion but rather looking into this serious matter with perspective distinction and without condemning anyone's point of view, i honestly think and believe that i have nothing to say. Thank you.....

[@salvadorvizcarra769]

And U R Mr. Bush Jr. I presume? LOL

[@zyron7115]

Hehehahahhehe I like this comment

[@mondy710]

The Americans learned too late from the French experience in Vietnam. The Americans learned too late from the Soviet experience in Afghanistan.

[@tylerhackner9731]

We never should’ve been there in the first place

[@aidancallahan6271]

Were you alive when 9/11 happened?

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@aidancallahan6271 nope

[@aidancallahan6271]

@@tylerhackner9731 I would suggest you watch documentaries about that day. Unless you were alive when it happened, it's hard to explain the magnitude of the situation. You've never witnessed an attack on your country. But I think you would have a different opinion if you did.

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@aidancallahan6271 my uncle was alive then and in NYC on 9/11 and he doesn’t like that these wars even happened either

[@Mohammad-ll2is]

This is heartbreaking. Americans, please SPEAKUP for the Afghans. Your government left us! “ never trust a friend who leaves you saying I will be back” History just been made!

[@carlosmedellin1214]

No

[@user-hq1gt2uv9g]

Лучше бы нам денег дали, мы бы хоть сразу честно сказали, что их украли.

[@aqeel-3771]

2001 -The US: we are going to bomb the Taliban. Taliban - We will hide in mountains then.

[@loliloldu1311]

Forgetting who funded and trained the taliban....

[@salokin3087]

The Taliban were primarily trained by Pakistani ISI officials coming from madrasa schools

[@williamcunninghammorrison3894]

Pakistan created Taliban

[@notfunny007]

@@williamcunninghammorrison3894 They didn't "create" but they did allow them to regroup

[@venum17]

@@williamcunninghammorrison3894 they were an outgrowth of the Mujahideen which we funded to fight the Soviets.

[@TheRealHungryHobo]

@@salokin3087 "Operation Cyclone"

[@linus4108]

the real winner are the Lockheed Martin sharesholder

[@senzmaki4890]

From someone who lives in Africa, they clearly learnt a lot from the Brits

[@clintstewart5545]

if you hate so much britain or whatever why you people keep coming here stay there

[@breazfreind402]

@@clintstewart5545 boomer boomer

[@Bmahsih-ir8yx]

​@@clintstewart5545irony died when britishers started complaining about people from other countries visiting theirs 😅😅😅

[@serendipity1999]

These people have been living like this for almost 50 years. They have the right to live like normal people, to receive proper health care, education, etc.

[@Snookyboo]

I seen videos of women getting beating for not wearing a hijab. Recent videos. So ya let them live like that over there lol

[@vivvpprof]

“People have forgotten this truth,” the fox said. “But you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

[@cougar1861]

Where's the part about Carter starting all this in 1980 when he wanted to make the USSR's presence in Afghanistan into its Viet Nam? He managed only to perpetuate the US's Viet Nam by unleashing, well-trained, confident, global terrorism ... which has churned lots of warmonger profits.

[@salokin3087]

So, under Carter and Reagan, the funding primarily went to warlords who would later become the Northern Alliance, the "good guys" who fought against the Taliban. The Taliban members came out of Pakistani madrasa schools in late 80s and 90s. The US involvement with them was fairly low. AQ, who launched global terrorism, was primarily setup through Pakistan and the Arab gulf states.

[@venum17]

@@salokin3087 ignoring we never should have meddled in the region in the first place.

[@salokin3087]

@@venum17 Debatable, president Daoud in 1973-78 did somewhat support the US and the Soviets at the same time, when he was killed by hardline socialists, the US started getting involved more

[@elliot04877]

@@venum17 if not then the USSR would still dominate half of the world

[@salokin3087]

@Jio Boy How did the US create the Tigray conflict, the Rohingya crisis, the Kashmir conflict, the Ukraine conflict, the Nagarno war and the border conflict between Venezuela and Colombia? All of these are significant problems

[@yellows5685]

so... we're the evil empire.

[@greorbowlfinder7078]

Wrong, the mission was getting Raytheon paid. Llyod Austin is a man with waiverable standards. The Taliban was never defeated. People from the west just don't understand warfare in Asia. Militia with purpose always beats cozy air power over time.

[@TechnicalGamingChannel]

So I really hope someone from Vox will respond to this because I found this video glossed over many key details. It covered most of the pre-Trump stuff well enough. Would have liked to seen coverage of Regan's involvement in the conflict and how diverting attention to Iraq led to massive issues with the reconstruction of Afghanistan. But I understand the central issues started after 2001. My real concern is the video glosses over key details like Trump's admin purposefully excluding the Afghan president from negotiations with the Taliban and striking a deal with them to LITERALLY hand the entire country over. That peace deal underscores ALL of the issues Biden is currently facing. It shook confidence in the Afghan government, which led directly to the Afghan military surrendering the country overnight. The ONLY way Biden could have prevented this from happening was by going to war with the Taliban again, which would have put us right back to 2001. It's appropriate to say the US created a disaster over the last 20 years, but Bush turned the region into a melting pot for terrorists to recruit from and Trump undid any progress we had made. Laying the situation at Biden's feet while ignoring the key role Trump played in all of this is just bad reporting.

[@jaymarx]

also glossed over that we funded Taliban to defeat the soviet union in 1987 and so many other fun stories... also that we didn't lose, quoting Julian Assange "the goal is endless war not successful war, the goal is not completely subjugate Afghanistan, the goal is to use Afghanistan to wash money out of the tax bases of US and EU countries through Afghanistan back into the hands of transnational security elites"

[@awrybowtie5591]

Also that Taliban did not want to hand over Bin Laden at first, and then post-invasion only to a third country. It mischaracterizes that aspect of the invasion priorities.

[@raiorai2]

Also, let's not forget how many people were bombed and tortured during Obama's presidency. It's the way of the American Empire.

[@TechnicalGamingChannel]

@Rita 25 y.o - check my vidéó I know that's why I'm saying this video is woefully incomplete

[@AdrianArgu]

I've yet to see any coverage explaining in detail how the Taliban get their weapons and supplies.

[@hambonefakenamington69]

let me know when you find one

[@MegaKiri11]

Comes from Pakistan plus captured US weapons

[@hamzaez-zayany4091]

+ afghan army sell weapons to Taliban

[@rorypaul153]

Russia. Almost all their weapons are Russian made.

[@randomman05]

Afghanistan, the New Vietnam of 21th century

[@ROBLOXGamingDavid]

They're the same since they were both invaded by America. But what's different is the country's motives, and their fates. Sadly, that didn't help.

[@Rango2027]

America stay out of other countries affairs

[@enbyennui]

This video is completely insufficient as an explainer due to failing to mention the US directly funding the Mujahedeen

[@huntsman145]

Great video. Thanks for being brave enough to call this exactly was it is. A preventable disaster and a disgraceful display of incompetence and indifference.

[@aassassin]

It was never about nation building. How are people not getting that?

[@kentslocum]

The most frustrating thing is that no one seems to agree on how to prevent this from happening again somewhere else.

[@korosuke1788]

I'm pretty sure most of the world agrees that the US is the problem. It's YOU who can't see the solution. Everyone else knows you are the true terrorists, killimg civilians with robots.

[@user-eh2hj8bx6i]

We should stop allowing Congress from owning stocks, especially stocks like Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, etc.

[@ylstorage7085]

"Graves of empires? pfff, it is ok, we are not an Empire, we are a democracy, we have the largest army and 800 bases overseas because of ... democracy"

[@anlog540]

Because of defense agreements between countries, did you really think countries like Germany, Italy and Australia were occupied by the US ?

[@mimovil8730]

Those bases help keep supply chains running and many regions safe. They are one of the reasons why I, as a non American, can type this message on a cellphone that was assembled all over the world. It is OK to be critical of the US and recognise the many foreign policy mistakes that have taken place over the decades but there's indeed more to the picture.

[@nexus1g]

Initially to stabilize regions like Italy, France, Japan, Korea, and Germany, and they stay because it's mutually beneficial as a FOB, to the local economy around the bases, and fro quick deployment in case someone like S. Korea needs assistance. So, yes, it's for the purpose of helping nations maintain their sovereignty.

[@dhkatz_]

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

[@nexus1g]

@@user-op8fg3ny3j Nations, especially smaller nations, are competing to have American military bases, so...

[@kuldeepkashyap909]

What's the point of a mighty army when it seems that you lose every war

[@oc911]

The US is a joke

[@QWERTY-gp8fd]

only if they werent betrayed in the homefront.

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

The job was done years ago, the rest was free money to the locals and the contractors... building everything up. Now the keys go to the Taliban, will they continue to build everything up ? Or will they have civil war and rip everything down ? Pray for Peace. Jesus / Allah / Buddha have Mercy upon the people.

[@jspee1965]

The US military is primarily trained to destroy large mechanized enemy forces, which hasn't happened since WW2 and for maybe 5 mins in the Iraq war. Although with China and Putin kicking sand that might change pretty soon.

[@blacknwhitehound]

It’s that the American policies are controlled by a see- saw of left right politics orchestrated by the media … just like Vietnam

[@joelmalone7922]

The major failure of my country in Afghanistan are numerous. Instead of restoring the popular and respected Zahir Shah to the throne in a constitutional monarchy we relied upon Karzai, instead of going with honest men like Abdullah Abdullah, Amrullah Saleh, and Massoud's son they chose corrupt warlords and unpopular men like Ghani. The biggest failure though was starting a pointless war that served no positive purpose in Iraq. We also showed ordinary Afghans that there was a much better life for them and then we robbed them of hope by negotiating with the Taliban and then fleeing in the night. Our soldiers were robbed by ruining the work they did and in turn robbing them of purpose and hope too.

[@themcfunnel]

Idk why they didn't restore the monarchy because the king was also a pastun

[@anubhavvishwakarma]

Finally, was waiting for Vox to create a video on the current Afghanistan crisis!

[@seraphimsforge-master5433]

Johnny Harris' content is top tier But this lady is nice too 🙌

[@ps5-pro]

He’s the best

[@Nou-fo6pp]

Why did he leave Vox, exactly?

[@ps5-pro]

@@Nou-fo6pp Borders got cancelled because of COVID. He has his own channel btw

[@Nou-fo6pp]

@@ps5-pro Yes, I am subscribed to it

[@alphabettical1]

And with something as fragile as this, it's good to see someone of that or a similar culture (I'm assuming) and experience covering this war. I like Johnny too, but his video on this would've been too impersonal in tone - too far away.

[@hsagsevshisbeatevfcox5026]

When will the US learn to stop getting involved in other countries

[@GoShiggyGo]

Ask Ukraine!

[@michaelcollado2671]

So you think we should have done nothing after 9/11

[@Bmahsih-ir8yx]

​​@@michaelcollado2671You should have tightened and improved the security of your country from within instead of illegitimately using 911 as an excuse to invade other countries and making people who had nothing to do with it suffer. Every country has the right to defend itself but attacking other countries and calling it for the purpose of defence is not a valid argument. Based on this justified revenge logic, even terrorists can justify their atrocities as some event in th past originating it. At this point soldiers are no different from terrorists.

[@ChiliSainz]

The Taliban would have never gained that much power and support in the first place if the US didn’t support it when it was trying to fight of Soviet influence in the area during the Cold War.

[@anujkumar070]

Not "a disaster", but "another disaster".

[@NasserAljoudi92]

"The good war!" WHAT!!!? This is a classic case of what Spivak calls “white men saving brown women from brown men."

[@alecdegraaf442]

So… we shouldn’t try to improve the lives of others?

[@farhansiddiqui1280]

@@alecdegraaf442 not if those attempts breed instability, war and bombings for other civilians.

[@tomrogers9467]

No foreign military power can change centuries old customs, practices and religion! Leave them to their own culture.

[@taimoortariq8738]

@@alecdegraaf442 In human history, when someone invades another, they dont give them rights... "History never repeats itself, but it often rhymes."