The Real Reason U.S. Allies Are Upset About Afghanistan

My last column pushed back at the chorus of doomsayers who insist that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan—including the disorderly manner in which it played out—had done vast and lasting damage to America’s international position. No doubt some of these commentators genuinely believe their dire pronouncements, and the Islamic State-Khorasan attack on the Kabul airport is bound to intensify those feelings. Even so, I still find the hyperbole and over-the-top rhetoric remarkable. This week, I want to dig deeper and consider why so many people—and especially observers in Europe—appear to see this...