Withdrawal of International Security Troops From Afghanistan In 2014: Implication

This paper attempts to analyze the national and regional security concerns after the withdrawal of NATO-led International Security Forces (ISAF) at the end of 2014 from Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai refused to sign the bilateral security agreement with United States which lead the situation to withdraw the troops from Afghanistan. The absence of foreign troops would likely dampen donor nations' willingness to provide civilian aid for the development projects. Withdrawal of international troops in Afghanistan post-2014 would also leave the door open for the terrorist groups to gain a foothold in Afghanistan, from where it could launch operations into Central and South Asia as well as the whole world. Afghanistan and the United States had been trying to bring the Taliban to the political fold with the implicit understanding that they won’t harbour terrorism anymore that also created mistrust between these two countries. If Afghanistan can hold reasonably free and fair elections, Afghanistan has a chance of moving beyond its contemporary security implications and become a trans-regional communication hub of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.