The U.S. military troop withdrawal from Afghanistan​

In Nam-sik 

(in@mofa.go.kr) 

Director-General for the Department of American Studies,  

Korea National Diplomatic Academy​

English Abstract​

Withdrawing the U.S. military troop from Afghanistan is a rather risky decision. The withdrawal could lead to Taliban rule and Afghanistan’s return to a medieval Islamic state. However, the U.S., which must focus on its strategic competition against China, cannot maintain the Afghan front after having suffered from a war fatigue and paid huge sacrifices and costs. The war on terror must be put to an end and a new strategic framework must be pursued. A key to this process is Afghanistan's relations with the Taliban. In other words, the key is whether the Taliban can be trusted. In the future, the strengthening of the Taliban's influence relates to China's move, the spread of conflict between India and Pakistan, the involvement of Middle Eastern countries such as Turkey and Iran, and the emergence of non-traditional security issues. Perhaps, the stability of Afghan politics is an independent variable of stability/instability in international politics.