The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan

This book offers a hard-hitting critique of how both Afghan elites and Western powers abandoned the Afghan people to their tragic fate. The Taliban’s 2021 takeover was the culmination of a broader failure—a decline in support for the Afghan government, compounded by inefficiencies in aid delivery. However, these issues alone were not enough to cause the collapse of the Afghan state. At its core, the fall was driven by early institutional failures, with the U.S. focusing on short-term policies that created harmful incentives, undermining long-term stability.

Through this investigation, the book reveals the true forces that led to Kabul’s fall. The Afghan Republic was relentlessly attacked by Taliban insurgents, who relied heavily on Pakistani support, and faced an internal erosion of authority. U.S. policy failed to address Pakistan’s role, and the final blow came when American leaders hastily negotiated a deal with the Taliban, destabilizing the Afghan military and setting the stage for the final collapse.

This is not just the story of decline; it is one of betrayal.