In April of 2021, the United States government announced its withdrawal from what was at the time the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Twenty years of combat, 3609 dead NATO troops, and trillions of dollars later, Allied forces withdrew, and left the country vulnerable for the Taliban to seize control once again, like they had thirty Read More…
In this special report, NAOC Senior Editor Justin Dell argues that the Allied withdrawal from Afghanistan does not just constitute another military defeat for the West, but portends an existential crisis for Western civilization. If the leaders of the states that comprise NATO want to preserve the global order they inherited after 1945, and again after 1991, they need to get serious about their self-narrative in the 21st century.
During operations in Afghanistan, mustering enough qualified linguists proved a constant challenge for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). These difficulties point to larger problems with how the CAF—and Canada—approach strategic languages.
Bagram Air Base – once the bastion of coalition forces in Afghanistan – is now empty of U.S. and NATO troops, bringing an effective end to their presence in the country. Elliott Simpson reflects on what should be acknowledged, and hopefully learned from their efforts over the past 20 years.
The war is headed down an uncertain path as President Trump renews US commitment to the conflict.
Julie-Anne Labonté discusses the bolstering of the Afghan Air Force and the training of Afghan pilots in the United States.