Khalilzad: US Pullback from Afghanistan Would Create Geopolitical Vacuum

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, has said Washington should expand the scope of its engagement with Afghanistan, arguing that pulling away from the country could create a geopolitical vacuum and open opportunities for terrorists and US rivals.

He also said that five years after the Taliban took power, Afghanistan’s security and economic situation has been “better than expected.” Khalilzad also described the expansion of infrastructure, support for agriculture and regional diplomacy as notable developments.

The former US official added that the sharp deterioration in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations was another development that had not been anticipated. He did not provide further details on the consequences of this tension or on how Washington’s desired engagement might be expanded.

Khalilzad is one of the best-known figures in the Afghanistan file in US foreign policy and played a central role in negotiations between the United States and the Taliban administration. After the signing of the Doha agreement in 2020, he remained a controversial figure linked to the peace process and Afghanistan’s political developments.