Ajmal Ahmady
Why Afghanistan Fell
An Insider’s Account of What Went Wrong
Foreign Affairs, 2021
What's inside?
Corruption and ineptitude corroded the Afghan government’s foundations before it crumbled.
Recommendation
Over the summer of 2021, Afghanistan’s government collapsed with greater speed and ferocity than many had foreseen. Yet the regime’s downfall was long in the making, writes Ajmal Ahmady, a senior official in the country’s last government before the Taliban takeover. He faults rampant corruption, geopolitical interests, and national leaders’ inability to recognize and ally with local powers. His insider’s take on the situation offers an important postmortem on America’s longest war.
Summary
About the Author
A senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, Ajmal Ahmady served as Afghanistan’s governor of the central bank from June 2020 through mid-August 2021.
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