Fifth footnote to the post titled “An Orientalist Dream”

It is also important to note that a “conditions-based withdrawal” from Afghanistan was not Donald Trump’s idea. It was actually Barack Obama’s idea after Obama ordered an “Afghanistan Review” in 2009. On December 1, 2009 (with December 1 being my birthday), Obama announced a “conditions-based withdrawal.” But the goal of the United States was never to leave Afghanistan completely. Rather, the goal was to integrate the Taliban into the American-backed government and keep a certain number of Americans in Afghanistan forever. But the Taliban were intransigent and stubborn. The Taliban made it their core objective and goal that the removal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan had to take place before they stopped attacking Americans in Afghanistan. Trump agreed and signed with the Taliban, and Biden executed the agreement. And the Taliban now have full control and sovereignty over Afghanistan, bringing us back to the square one of September 10, 2001.