The Collapse of State in Afghanistan: A Repeat of History?
| Author | Nasir A. Andisha |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/23477970221129901 |
| Published date | 01 December 2022 |
| Date | 01 December 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Research Articles |
Research Article
The Collapse of State in
Afghanistan: A Repeat
of History?
Nasir A. Andisha1
Abstract
The sudden and stunning fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021 to the Taliban raised
many questions about the immediate and underlying causes of the state’s
collapse, the consequences of the US/NATO’s retreat, and what the Taliban’s
military victory meant for Afghanistan, the region and beyond. This article focuses
on the main causes of the collapse and attempts to offer an uncomplicated yet
inclusive picture first by explaining the immediate overriding security and political
triggers and then by examining the underlying strategic, structural and historical
factors. A ground-level assessment of the situation indicated that the resumption
of the Doha talks in late 2018 and its subsequent political, diplomatic and military
repercussions building over months contributed to the precipitous collapse.
However, a bird’s eye-view analysis revealed that structural flaws in the design,
process and implementation of the post 9/11 state-building efforts in Afghanistan
such as a top-down, highly centralised and winner takes all system, and a weak
public participation and accountability mechanism were among the underlying
failure factors.
Keywords
State collapse, Afghanistan, Taliban, Doha talks, Bonn process, decentralization
Introduction
The brazen military takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and the devastating
images of people holding onto departing military airplanes at the Kabul Airport
depicted the utter desperation, fear and abandonment that many Afghans felt.
These images were also indicative of the collapse of the Afghan state; a fairly
Journal of Asian Security
and International Affairs
9(3) 369–382, 2022
© The Author(s) 2022
Reprints and permissions:
in.sagepub.com/journals-permissions-india
DOI: 10.1177/23477970221129901
journals.sagepub.com/home/aia
1 Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to UN, Geneva,
Switzerland
Corresponding author:
Nasir A. Andisha, Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to UN,
Geneva, Switzerland.
E-mail: nasirandisha@gmail.com
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