Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 25
Although the Defence Secretary assured us that he had attempted to find a way to...
Conclusion
Although the Defence Secretary assured us that he had attempted to find a way to retain a military presence in Afghanistan without the US, we recognise how difficult this would have been in practice. This shows the limits of NATO’s military capability without US involvement.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges that US negotiations were bilateral, UK influence was limited, and that the UK advocated for a continued presence while noting the increasing chance of a collapse at some point.
Paragraph Reference:
25
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
US Ambassador Khalilzad’s (Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation) negotiations were bilateral and did not include Coalition partners. Ministers, CDS and other senior officials at the time worked with the Afghans, and Allies including the US to try to maintain our strategic direction and broker a workable peace. UK influence on the decision to withdraw was ultimately limited by a decision process and timescale that was led by the US President himself. The UK made clear our concerns and advocated strongly for a continued presence in some form. As evidence in the report describes ‘When the House of Commons was recalled on 18 August, during the airlift from Kabul Airport, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned that the UK had explored options to remain in Afghanistan beyond the deadlines announced by the US, but had concluded that’ “the West could not continue this US-led mission—a mission conceived and executed in support and defence of America—without American logistics, without US air power and without American might”. Extensive attempts by NATO and smaller groups of nations failed to gain traction in no small part due to the large gap left by US withdrawal. The UK also requested an extension to the withdrawal date which was rejected. Noting the extensive support structures in place at the time of the drawdown of NATO and Coalition forces, there was an increasing chance of a collapse at some point. The key 2 Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Government Reponse to the Committee’s Fifth Report question was when, on which estimates differed. A collapse was predicted by many sources despite the withdrawal process markedly reducing the intelligence footprint. Noting that President Ghani fled the country on 15 August 2021, this further damaged our ability to hold the initiative as the Taliban advanced on Kabul.