By
Soumyadip Sarkar
A key asset in Afghanistan for many years,
Bagram Airbase has recently garnered notoriety again because of its strategic
and symbolic importance in current events. A crucial stage in the removal of
foreign forces from Afghanistan was reached on July 2, 2021, when the United
States and its allies officially left the airfield. Over the past 20 years,
this airbase has been the focal point of U.S. military activities in the nation
and the starting point for multiple strategic campaigns. The Pentagon accelerated
the evacuation to finish by August 2021, ahead of President Joe Biden's
September 11 deadline. About 600 American soldiers were assigned to stay in
Afghanistan after the pullout in order to protect the diplomatic complex in
Kabul.
General Richard Myers, the then-Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized the overarching goal when announcing
the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan twenty years prior: "Our aim is not only
to counter the Taliban and foreign terrorists but to dismantle those who
sponsor or harbor terrorism." However, twenty years later, the Taliban
made a strong comeback, posing a threat to regional stability.
Historical Significance of Bagram
The history of Bagram Airbase, located in
the Parwan region around 60 kilometers north of Kabul, is complex and long.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union built the airbase in the 1950s, and it
came to symbolize geopolitical manipulation.
It was a sought-after military asset due to its advantageous location
close to important highways and the Salang Tunnel, which connects Kabul to
northern Afghanistan.
When U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower
visited Bagram in 1959 as part of a goodwill trip to Afghanistan, the country
became well-known worldwide. In an attempt to offset Soviet influence, the
United States began to play a significant role in Afghanistan's growth with
this visit. As seen by notable interactions, such as President John F.
Kennedy's hosting of King Mohammed Zahir Shah's 1963 visit to the United
States, American assistance has been crucial in modernizing Afghanistan.
But in 1973, Prime Minister Daoud Khan led
a coup that overthrew the monarchy and instituted a republic, fundamentally
changing the political landscape of Afghanistan. This led to years of political
turmoil, including the killing of American Ambassador Adolph Dubs in 1979,
which fundamentally altered the U.S.-Afghan alliance.
Soviet Era and Civil Strife
When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan
in 1979, Bagram's status as a vital military installation was further
solidified. Soviet troops and Su-25 fighter jets staged at the airbase during
their occupation, which was marked by fierce combat with mujahideen forces.
After the Soviet Union left Afghanistan in 1989, a civil war broke out
there. Several groups contested control,
and Bagram changed hands several times. An important turning point was the
Taliban's ascent in the middle of the 1990s when the terrorist group took
control of Kabul and further destabilized the area.
U.S. Involvement Post-9/11
Bagram Airbase became essential to
U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. It was
transformed into a massive military complex that could accommodate 10,000
soldiers and had modern amenities, such as a new runway to accommodate state-of-the-art
military aircraft. By 2009, it had become a self-sufficient community,
demonstrating the extensive U.S. military presence in the region.
However, the airbase also became
well-known for its detention centers, where claims of violations of human
rights, including torture and detainee deaths, surfaced. Hamid Karzai, the
president of Afghanistan at the time, gave the order to hand over these facilities
to Afghan authorities in 2012.
The U.S. Withdrawal and Its Aftermath
There were serious worries when U.S.
forces abruptly left Bagram Airbase in July 2021. The pullout took place in the
shadows without informing the local Afghan government. Locals overran the
deserted base in the morning and began stealing the military's belongings.
Hours later, Afghan forces showed up to take back control of the establishment.
The retreat was exploited by the Taliban,
who swiftly seized further areas and solidified their control over Afghanistan.
This resurgence heightened tensions in the area, particularly in India, which
expressed concerns about the potential for more cross-border unrest and
terrorism. Following a meeting with
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
reaffirmed India's commitment to promoting peace and security in Afghanistan,
saying, "Discussed the situation in and around Afghanistan."
reaffirmed our commitment to Afghanistan's development, peace, and stability.
Strategic and Regional Implications
Bagram Airbase is crucial to Afghanistan's
shifting dynamics. It is important for Afghanistan and the larger regional
security framework because of its strategic location and historical
significance. The U.S. withdrawal and
the Taliban's subsequent resurgence have heightened anxiety and uncertainty,
and neighboring nations are closely monitoring developments to safeguard their
interests.
As the situation in Afghanistan continues
to evolve, Bagram stands for the enduring consequences of foreign intervention,
the complexities of regional geopolitics, and the challenges of building
long-lasting peace and stability in the region.
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