Why the U.S. Military Lost Afghanistan

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X221100584
• Author: Donald S. Travis
• Date: 01 October 2023
• Subject Matter: Commentaries

https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X221100584

Armed Forces & Society

2023, Vol. 49(4) 939 –952

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X221100584

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Commentary

Why the U.S. Military

Lost Afghanistan

Donald S. Travis1

Abstract

Why did Afghanistan falter as a U.S. partner? America’s war in Afghanistan was lost

for many reasons, but the U.S. military contributed to its downfall in two ways. First,

U.S. combat units, trained to fight conventional battles, conducted counterterrorism

operations (aka “search and destroy” missions) against guerilla forces that resulted

in hardening the resolve of the enemy while causing widespread and senseless

civilian casualties. Second, the Afghan military could not exist without U.S. logistical

and material support. Because the Afghan Army was trained and equipped to fight

a conventional-type war, they were incapable of operating independent of U.S.

support, and could not survive on their own against guerrilla forces in a protracted

civil war. Therefore, the Afghan security forces were not properly trained and

equipped, demonstrating that the U.S. military repeated mistakes of the Vietnam

War. It is argued that the United States must temper its conventional warfare

mindset and re-direct resources toward improved ways to conduct limited wars

against irregular adversaries. The constabulary forces concept described by Morris

Janowitz is a feasible way to improve the chances that U.S. forces will succeed in

such limited wars.

Keywords

civil military relations, democracy, international relations, military culture, policing

The sudden and unexpected collapse of the Afghan security forces (Army and Police)

in August 2021 (Barnes, 2021) informs us that something was deeply flawed with the

way the United States and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) conducted the

1Texas State University, Selinsgrove, PA, USA

*Donald S. Travis is now affiliated to Texas State University, Selinsgrove, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Donald S. Travis, Texas State University, 500 Orange Street, Selinsgrove, PA 1787, USA.

Email: Dontravis752@yahoo.com

1100584AFSXXX10.1177/0095327X221100584Armed Forces & Society XX(X)Travis

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