Ending the ‘forever war’ in Afghanistan

In mid-April, I took part in a conference entitled New Transatlantic Relations organized by a Romanian university. In my presentation on whether the Joe Biden administration will engage in a “Transatlantic Reset,” I talked about the American public’s attitude and weariness about fighting “forever wars,” in particular, the war in Afghanistan, which will reach the 20-year mark this fall.

In the question-and-answer time, members of the audience raised concerns about what will happen in Afghanistan after U.S. forces withdraw. Is America abandoning a loyal ally in the fight against terrorism? Are those many political pundits and politicians who argue that Biden is being foolish and hasty right and should Europeans try to temper Biden’s withdrawal plans?