West’s underestimation of Taliban led to fall

Denmark and the West’s efforts in Afghanistan abruptly ended in 2021 with the rapid return to power of the Taliban, primarily due to underestimation of their capabilities, as concluded by a report from the Danish Institute for International Studies. The report reveals that the Taliban’s power takeover was a gradual process over many years. It points out that early decisions in the war, including alliances with brutal and corrupt local warlords, undermined the international effort’s legitimacy. 44 Danes died in Afghanistan, and many more suffered lasting harm. Describing faulty military and civil strategies, the report criticizes the building of the Afghan army, primarily structured to support the US war on terror, and the late start in training them to ensure their security, which ultimately led to the Taliban gaining ground. Additionally, civilian aid efforts often bypassed the Afghan government and catered more to Western interests than Afghanistan’s needs.