March 10, 2020
The Afghan peace deal and its eerie parallels with Vietnam
Last month marked a potential turning point in America’s 19-year war in Afghanistan. In signing a landmark peace agreement, the United States and the Taliban paved the way for an intra-Afghan political settlement and the withdrawal of American troops. Students of history will note that, in its terms and its broader strategic context, the Afghanistan peace agreement has eerie parallels with the Vietnam War’s endgame. Whether and how this time is different will say everything about the deal’s longevity and the prospects for a safe American exit from our longest war.
Vietnam was, of course, America’s longest war until Afghanistan took its place. Exhausted with the fight, President Nixon was determined to end the war, achieving the best possible peace deal on the way out. One senses a similar impulse with President Trump, who has routinely criticized “forever wars” like the one in Afghanistan and emphasized his desire to withdraw American forces.
Read the full article in the Austin-American Statesman.
More from CNAS
-
Sharper: Middle East
Commentary
President Biden’s recent Middle East tour was vital in presenting U.S. foreign policy in the region. Other geopolitical developments including the killing of al Qaeda leader A...
By Anna Pederson, John O'Malley & Arona Baigal
-
Richard Fontaine discusses Pelosi trip to Taiwan
Video
Richard Fontaine joins BBC World News to discuss U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to Taiwan amid tensions with China. Watch the full interview from BBC....
By Richard Fontaine
-
The World Is Still Failing Afghan Women
Commentary
The contrast between the bravery of these Afghan women and the slinking cowardice of the international community could not be starker....
By Kelley Eckels Currie & Amy K. Mitchell
-
Sharper: The Authoritarianism Challenge
Commentary
Autocratic leadership is on the rise globally. Even in democratic nations, leaders are eroding checks on their power and weakening institutions. The use of illiberal technolog...
By Anna Pederson
