STUDIES IN PEACE SUPPORT OPERATIONS

The implications of a US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Four scenarios
Isabel Green Jonegård

Introduction that, through four archetypes, reflect the wide scope of

The new US national security strategy, launched in possible outcomes in a simplified manner. It thus serves as
December 2017, includes a continued commitment to a framework for strategic thinking and planning.
support the Afghan government and the Afghan National
Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) in the fight against Background analysis of actors involved
the Taliban and terrorism. The strategy also indicates a Since its beginning in 1979, the war in Afghanistan has
harder stance against Pakistan, insisting that Pakistan had elements of proxy warfare, initially between the
should take decisive action against the militant and Soviet Union and the US. Afghanistan is characterized
terrorist groups operating from Pakistani soil. Despite their by tensions between the centre and the periphery; despite
reaffirmed commitment and the deteriorating security having a centralized government, as stipulated in the
situation in Afghanistan, the US desire to withdraw their constitution, no central government has exercised control
troops after almost 20 years of military intervention has over the entire country.
never been more evident, nor more pressing.
The Afghan actors
The ongoing peace talks between the US and the Taliban The government of Afghanistan is led by Ashraf Ghani. As
that began at the end of 2018 have been portrayed as a of late June 2019, the Taliban have refused to include the
window of opportunity and a possible starting point government, which it perceives to be a US puppet, in the
towards peace in Afghanistan. The talks consist of four ongoing talks.
pillars: a withdrawal of troops, guarantees that Afghanistan
The opposition, consisting of former members of the
will not become a platform for terrorism, intra-Afghan
Northern Alliance, controls an extensive part of ANDSF,
dialogue, and a comprehensive ceasefire.
as well as a sizeable part of the country, owing to ethnic
The unambiguous wish of the US to withdraw, in ties. The main grievance of the opposition concerns power
combination with the outcome of the peace talks, will and influence. The talks with the Taliban, within the
affect not only the future of international engagement in Moscow framework, have been one effort to achieve this.
Afghanistan, including NATO’s Resolute Support Mission
The Taliban’s main quest is for the establishment of their
(RSM), but the future of the country. The strong drive
rule in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of foreign troops.
of the current White House administration to deliver on
Despite the conservative base in the population, the
election campaign promises, however, has led scholars to
Taliban are not considered to be popular enough to win
contemplate the possibility of other outcomes, such as:
an election. Their high-level participation in the ongoing
an abrupt end to the talks and a subsequent withdrawal
talks may be signalling an honest effort to see what kind
of troops; or a withdrawal that would follow in the event
of peace deal they might achieve, although lessons from
there was no peace deal at all.
history portray the Taliban as using diplomacy in order to
This brief1 outlines and considers the implications of a enhance military goals, rather than making peace.
study of four possible scenarios related to a withdrawal of
US troops from Afghanistan. The scenarios represent cases The US and the NATO Resolute Support Mission
The NATO Resolute Support Mission (RSM) trains,
1
  This study is based on interviews with official representatives from advises, and assists the ANDSF. It was launched in
NATO and its member states and the EU, in Brussels; at the US State January 2015, following the conclusion of the NATO-
Department and the Pentagon, in Washington D.C; and, with scholars led International Security Assistance Force’s (ISAF)
at research institutes and think tanks in the US. The interviews were
conducted in March and April 2019. mission. The US, in addition to contributing about half

FOI Memo 6771 June 2019

Project No: A11905
Approved by: Mikael Bäfverfeldt
of the RSM’s personnel and mission-critical enablers – for The Taliban assumes control, taking over vast parts of
example close air support and medical evacuation – also Afghanistan, either by force or through a deal with the
has a separate counter-terrorism (CT) combat mission in opposition, further fragmentizing the country. The
Afghanistan: Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS). country returns to a situation similar to the one in 1994,
which was characterized by Sharia rule.
Other powers in the region
Several actors, both neighbouring states and others, have The ANDSF, of which the majority is controlled by the
political and economic interests in the ongoing conflict former Northern Alliance, disintegrates into factions and
in Afghanistan. Neighbouring states such as Iran, China, the military structures erode, creating a chaotic security
and Pakistan fear spillover effects from instability in the situation. Chaos and civil war follow. One of the warring
country: the spread of radical Islamism, terrorism, and parties invites terrorist groups back into Afghanistan to
illicit flows of drugs and refugees. Their interests are also fight on their side. The country once again becomes a
influenced by animosity towards the US and the perceived platform for international terrorist organizations.
threat of its presence in the region. For Russia, all of Due to the security situation, all foreign military personnel
these, but especially the fear that radical Islamism will are forced to leave. The US military withdrawal is followed
spread throughout Central Asia, have led to a pragmatic by financial withdrawal.
approach of supporting the Afghan government, the
Financial support from the international community stops,
political opposition, and the Taliban.
due to the changed political situation in Afghanistan, and
Pakistan and India are engaged in limiting each other’s it becomes more and more difficult for the international
influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan is trying to maintain development and humanitarian sector to carry out its
strategic depth, while India is currently one of the main work. Many actors will be forced to leave, others to confine
donors of international aid to Afghanistan. Pakistan has themselves to the capital. External funding of the regime
long been accused of providing safe havens for terrorists, and security apparatus by other actors is needed. The civil
although lately Pakistan’s influence over the Afghan war leads to further fragmentation of Afghan society and
Taliban has been questioned by scholars. division of ethnic groups. The gains achieved in human
development and human rights are reversed, while the
Scenario analysis situation for women and ethnic minorities is aggravated,
One method for conducting scenario analysis is to focus especially in the countryside.
on variables with strong casual implications that can
change fast and in an unpredictable manner. The two It will become increasingly difficult for the young
main insecurities related to the future of Afghanistan population to find work, further increasing the flow of
are US military engagement and the ongoing peace refugees, as well as the brain drain and the export of the
talks between the US and the Taliban. In this study, the Afghan elite. Fee collection for crossing borders between
2x2 matrix is used as a framework to analyse possible ethnic areas becomes a central means of income, in
consequences of an American troop withdrawal and as a addition to the illicit flow of drugs, further exasperating
tool for thinking strategically about the future. Explorative corruption and organised crime. As a reaction to this and
scenarios are used to describe four extreme cases and, in the risk of Afghanistan’s becoming a new front for Daesh,
this simplified way, portray the cornerstone scenarios international regional actors and neighbouring states such
that frame a vast spectrum of possible future outcomes. as Iran, China, and Russia increase both their engagement
Within each scenario, numerous aspects related to the and their support to the Taliban, while continuing to
security situation are addressed: the Afghan regime, pursue their separate national agendas. The war of proxies
the presence of international military and development returns.
funding, Afghan society, and the grievances of the local
2. Counter-terrorism and reversal of gains
population. The scenarios describe possible developments
After a year without further progress in the peace talks
over the next couple of years, without reference to their
and with continuous Taliban refusal to include the Afghan
probabilities.
government in the process, a limited peace agreement
1. Civil war and chaos involving only the first two pillars is agreed upon between
President Donald Trump decides to withdraw all US the US and the Taliban.
troops from Afghanistan, resulting in an abrupt end to The Taliban demands an extensive share of the power and
the peace talks between the US and the Taliban. The US a changed constitution. A constitution similar to the one
troops leave Afghanistan within six months, without any in Iran, or Saudi Arabia, with formal and Islamic rule,
coordination with allies and partners within RSM. procedural elements, and limited elections is adopted. The
 1. Civil war and chaos 2. CT and reversal of gains
Precipitant US withdrawal Precipitant US withdrawal
+ +
No peace deal Peace deal
Washington runs out of patience before any formal The US, after allowing the Taliban to play it for time
progress in the talks between the US and the Taliban in the peace talks, and after satisfying a limited
has been achieved. Consequently, all US troops are agreement with the Taliban that involves only the first
withdrawn from Afghanistan. two pillars, withdraws the majority of its troops. A small
US counter-terrorism presence remains in Afghanistan
to ensure that it does not become a safe-haven for
terrorists that pose a threat to the US.

3. The rule of (war)lords 4. Peace, but is it sustainable?

Timely US withdrawal Timely US withdrawal
+ +
No peace deal Peace deal
The US reduces its troop presence within RSM, in The US conducts a phased troop withdrawal, pinning
dialogue with other Troop Contributing Nations (TCNs), each phase to certain political milestones, agreed upon
leaving only critical enablers and a US CT presence in in advance, in Afghanistan. A well-designed peace
OFS. No peace deal is reached. deal is reached: it reflects the reality in Afghanistan
through changes in the constitution, and decentralized
power-sharing.

role of the Ulama in governing Afghanistan is increased. The negative impact will be most prominent in the
Having secured extensive power on the central- as well as countryside, where the access to education and healthcare
high-level positions within the ANDSF, the Taliban has will be prone to local solutions dependent on the ability of
no interest in decentralizing the power-sharing. The new humanitarian organisations to negotiate with local actors.
constitution does not reflect the reality on the ground, Women’s freedom of movement will decrease.
which is comprised of local powerbrokers.
Confusion arises regarding which services are provided by
RSM ends, as a result of the absence of critical US enablers the Taliban and which by the international community.
and because of the perception that the peace agreement with The Taliban reap the benefits of this confusion in order to
the Taliban has led to a lower threat level. The small counter- portray themselves as legitimate actors that provide for the
terrorism presence remains, but all other foreign military people of Afghanistan.
personnel depart, in keeping with the peace agreement.
The now smaller, more concentrated, CT mission lacks the 3. The rule of (war)lords
benefit of regional presence and its inherent opportunities The US reduces its troop presence within RSM, in dialogue
to collect human intelligence from local allies. with other TCNs; within a year, only critical enablers and
a US CT presence in OFS remain in Afghanistan.
The Taliban receives financial support from the US, to
impose costs on any divergence from the agreement. The Taliban, having benefitted from the Doha talks and
Development funding organizations become more emerged as legitimate political actors, make a deal with
dependent on Afghan partners to carry out their work and the opposition, resulting in a fragmented government.
many actors will be forced to leave. The return to Taliban Political leaders and warlords from all ethnic groups are
rule does not address the grievances of the Afghan people. willing to support Taliban rule, based on sharia law, in
The Taliban, rather than Daesh or terrorism, are the local exchange for power and resources. The Kabul government
population’s main concern, a residue of memories of the controls the major cities, while the Taliban control large
consequences of Taliban rule in the 1990s. parts of the countryside. The warlords are strengthened on
the regional level, further increasing the tension between Development funding from international donors
centre and periphery and the risk of civil war. continues. The integration of the Taliban into government
and security structures raises the issues of impunity and
The US continues to fight Daesh and Al-Qaeda
accountability among the population.
remnants within the OFS mission presence. Some Troop
Contributing Nations (TCN) decide to follow the US The viability of a sustainable peace settlement depends
withdrawal within RSM, while others increase their on the support of regional actors, especially Pakistan, and
presence slightly in order to fill some of the gaps. The development of the Afghan economy. Regional actors
regional layout of the mission is restructured. The smaller need to increase investments, for example by including
RSM, with a regional presence in the northern, western, Afghanistan in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, in order
and central provinces, continues to train, advise, and assist to increase the independence of the Afghan economy. The
ANDSF. With the more limited regional mission presence issue is raised of whether the regional powers are basing
and increased threat level, RSM struggles to improve the their engagement in Afghanistan on their local interests
insufficient capacity of the ANDSF. There is a huge risk within the region, or on their geopolitical interests towards
that the losses within the ANDSF outpace the inflow of the US. The commitment and priorities of neighbouring
new recruits. states and international regional powers such as Iran,
Pakistan, and Russia greatly depend on the ability of the
Because of the new political reality in Afghanistan,
US to communicate the long-term plan for commitment.
it becomes increasingly difficult for development
organisations to work in the country and for parliaments Moreover, the viability of the peace depends on the
to justify funding. Women, minorities, and the population government’s capability to handle numerous challenges:
in the countryside are most severely affected by the endemic corruption; organized crime that specialises in
decreased inflow of funding. A shift from development the opium trade; human rights abuses; and the patron-
aid to humanitarian aid is necessary. The deal on the client system that marginalises the majority of the Afghan
central level empowers local leaders and warlords, further population.
fragmentising Afghanistan and increasing the differences
between regions. Sharia law is enforced in regions with Conclusions
Taliban rule, primarily in the southern and eastern parts US troop withdrawal, whether timely or precipitant,
of Afghanistan. Neighbouring powers continue to support will render consequences for international engagement
their local beneficiaries in Afghanistan, maintaining a in Afghanistan. Peace in Afghanistan, through a limited,
situation of stable instability in the power balance. well-designed agreement, will neither automatically end
corruption nor the patron-client system.
4. Peace, but is it sustainable?
As portrayed via the four simplified examples of possible
After two years of negotiations, a peace deal is reached. The
futures presented above, different scenarios will impose
US initiates a phased troop withdrawal, pinning each phase
different levels of difficulty. These will in turn necessitate
to certain political milestones agreed upon in advance.
different approaches from the international community in
A coalition government with Taliban representation its future relations with Afghanistan, and in safeguarding
eliminates the Daesh presence in Afghanistan, an outcome its interests, especially the gains that have been achieved
most likely achieved through negotiation. An amended over the years.
constitution, with decentralized rule that reflects the role of
local powerbrokers, is agreed upon. Isabel Green Jonegård
RSM and OFS end gradually, and are replaced by an
international monitoring and enforcing mission that
focuses on disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration
(DDR). The process of integrating the Taliban fighters
begins.

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