The fall of Afghanistan in 2021 is the result of years of American delusion

On Sunday morning, Taliban fighters captured Afghanistan's Bagram Airfield — the symbol and source of U.S. power projection in the region for 20 years — releasing thousands of prisoners. Within hours, Taliban fighters were trickling into the city center with little resistance. The Taliban had already swept in and captured the capital city of Kabul. By nightfall, President Ashraf Ghani had fled the country, and the Taliban's reconquest of Afghanistan was complete.

Last Monday in Doha, Qatar — the site of fruitless peace talks with the Taliban across now two administrations — the U.S. envoy to those talks announced his intention to "press the Taliban" for an end to their offensive across Afghanistan. It was a naive statement even at the time, and it hasn't improved in the week since.

The Taliban had already been pressing at the gates of several provincial Afghan capitals. Having withdrawn troops from the country, the U.S. lacked whatever leverage it once had in negotiations with the insurgent group. But the White House appeared confident. "Ultimately, our view is that the Afghan security forces have the equipment, numbers and training to fight back that will strengthen their position at the negotiating table," White House press secretary Jen Psaki insisted Tuesday.