Jacobson discusses US withdrawal from Afghanistan in The Conversation

July 15, 2021

The Conversation

In "The US withdraws from Afghanistan after 20 years of war: 4 questions about this historic moment," published by The Conversation, Assistant Dean for Washington Programs Mark Jacobson offers both personal and professional perspectives on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. "The lack of a U.S. military presence fundamentally changes the security dynamics in Afghanistan, reducing the leverage necessary to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table, especially with the loss of U.S. air power," says Jacobson. "Additionally, security is a precondition to development, and it’s unclear how long the international development community, which has had a large presence in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban, will be able to work, or whether Afghan nationals will be safe implementing these projects," he says.