COME the end of December and the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) will bring their combat role in Afghanistan to an end with NATO’s formal withdrawal. The ISAF mission played a training and supportive role. In 2011, the troop strength was 1, 40,000. Now that most of it is marching out, a residual force of 13,000 is slated to remain till end-2016. The Taliban had been ousted from power by the US-led invasion in 2001. But they are back with a vengeance threatening to knock out the Afghan government in Kabul. 2014 saw violence peak with 4,600 plus Afghan security personnel killed. The total casualty figure for foreign troops since 2001 was 3,500. Admittedly, US President Barack Obama has authorized US forces to continue operations against the Taliban and al-Qaida. They will offer combat and air support to Afghan forces. It is more than Kabul had bargained for to stay with it after 2014. In 2009, Obama had decided to strengthen the US presence to protect Afghanistan from the Taliban presence. But the US forces could not stay too long. Public opinion in the US had grown vehemently critical of the loss of men and resources. However, the US is well aware that Kabul does not have the military and financial strength to take on the militants. It has been decided to increase the number of residual US forces from 9,800 to 10,800. President Ashraf Ghani has signed two agreements with the US and NATO promising Afghanistan aid and residual forces. The Taliban on the other hand are gearing up to escalate their offensive.
Afghanistan has an unstable government based on power-sharing between President Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah. Pakistan is anxious to take advantage of the situation and fish in the troubled waters in the neighbouring country. NATO’s combat mission has failed to contain the situation. India has invested funds in Afghan reconstruction but has not yet consolidated its position. The Taliban menace is growing deadlier. India’s foreign policy has to be reoriented to cope with the present crisis or it may lose out to Pakistan in the Afghan theatre.