Afghanistan Peace Talks Have Begun, Major Pitfalls Await

Any sharp drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq grants Iran a golden opportunity to expand its influence there and threatens to inflame sectarian tensions.

U.S. troops are supposed to leave by May 1, according to a U.S.-Taliban agreement. But a complete withdrawal could be disastrous.

A complete U.S. military withdrawal by September 11, 2021, could allow the Taliban to take over much of Afghanistan.

Despite having larger numbers and better equipment than the Taliban, Afghan forces were never strong enough to sustain government control in the absence of U.S. firepower.