President Donald Trump had announced on November 18, 2024, that all those military commanders would face the charges of botching the troop’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in the mid-2021. President Trump was more critical about withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan which killed over 13 US soldiers in a suicide attack besides leaving behind huge military equipment at Kabul.
The legal team of President Trump is already finding ways to legally try these military commanders on charges of treason. While the list of all those involved in this in orderly withdrawal is being finalized, President Trump has decided to get back all the military equipment from the Taliban Government in Afghanistan. Trump declared the US withdrawal methodology under President Biden as “the most embarrassing moment in the US history”. It is worth mentioning that the agreement between US and Afghan Taliban was finalized during the first term of President Trump, however, it was implemented during the Presidency of President Joe Biden in mid-August 2021.
President Trump, accusing the Biden Administration and Pentagon of abandoning military equipment worth billions during the Afghanistan withdrawal, demanded its return from Kabul. During a rally in Washington, he pledged to strengthen the US military by recovering this equipment, blaming Democrats for handing “a big chunk of our military equipment to the enemy.” He suggested halting billions in aid unless the Afghan Taliban returned the equipment. Trump also vowed to stop humanitarian aid to the Taliban until the equipment was recovered. During the withdrawal, the US military left behind advanced weapons, surveillance systems, Night Vision Goggles, and aircraft, though they claim most aircraft were demilitarized and rendered inoperable.
Despite this, the outlawed TTP terrorists gained access to weapons left in Afghanistan, giving them significant advantages over security forces. Trump criticized the decision as reckless, citing its consequences on regional stability and US military preparedness.
The supply of arms to TTP has significantly jeopardized the security situation of the region; particularly, a significant increase in terrorism is being witnessed in Pakistan. There has been an unprecedented increase in terrorism in Pakistan which is being perpetrated from Afghan soil with TTP terrorists at the forefront. They use this US military equipment against the Pakistani military and civilian population during their terrorist attacks.
According to the US Department of Defense, “US military equipment worth $7.12 billion” was left behind by the former Afghan government at the time of the pull-out of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021. According to a report by the Voice of America, the Pentagon downplayed the report that Afghan Taliban fighters got access to huge American military equipment at the time of the fall of the Ashraf Ghani Government in August 2021.
The Pentagon tried to divert the attention by saying that this entire war munition was given to the Afghan Security Forces. Pakistani security officials reported that TTP terrorists use American war munition against Pakistan. Pakistani security agencies got hold of this war munition from the possession of arrested TTP terrorists or else from those killed during various terrorist attacks on Pakistani security forces.
These modern and sophisticated American-made weapons include: (a) Thermal vision equipped rifles and helmets, (b) Laser sights and suppressed rifles, (c) M24 sniper rifles and M4 carbines with Trijicon ACOG scopes, (d) DShKM heavy machine guns, (e) 107mm Type 85 single-tube rocket launchers and (f) M16A4 rifles with thermal scopes.
With the use of these modern American weapons, the lethality and accuracy of the TTP terrorists have increased manifold. According to Pakistani security officials, US-made night vision devices and weapons systems have provided TTP terrorists with significant advantages over Pakistani security personnel, enabling engagements from greater distances and ensuring clear visibility during night-time operations.
There existed a lot of controversy over the weapons left behind by the US Military in August 2021. President Joe Biden was in a denial mode to accept that the US Military had really left behind such a heavy number of weapons at the time of its withdrawal. The Pentagon, however, revealed this in its reports to Congress with contradictions. Afghan Taliban Government officials, however, confessed the seizure of US weapons at the time of their takeover in August 2021 as: a) Light Arms: 300,000, b) Heavy Weapons: 26,000 and Military Vehicles: 61,000. Upon his taking over, President Trump has finally authenticated the reports which also include the intention of US Deep State and Biden Administration. The Afghan Taliban Government was in complete control of the military equipment, left behind by American forces. This war munition remained in their control and later they handed over a certain number of this military equipment to TTP terrorists for undertaking the terrorist activities in Pakistan.
There are some questions linked with US military equipment and their usage by TTP terrorists. It is worth mentioning that American and NATO forces withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 did not take place in haste, rather it was a well-planned event, thus there were no logical reasons of leaving behind huge military equipment in Afghanistan knowing fully that it will be taken over by Afghan Taliban, who fought against US and NATO for two decades.
President Biden didn’t question the Pentagon about this military equipment, rather covered up this act. Besides, the US Arms Services Committee didn’t take any action against those responsible for leaving behind this huge US military equipment.
Indeed, there were covert strategic objectives of the US Deep State and Biden Administration for leaving behind and usage of this sophisticated US military equipment. Since President Trump thinks differently from the US Deep State, therefore asked for the trial of all those involved in it and also return of this military equipment which has been denied by the Afghan Taliban Government, raising yet another controversy.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
