Former US diplomat says stable post-9/11 Afghanistan serves American interests

Former US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad has said that achieving stability in Afghanistan remains in Washington's interest in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he stressed that a central US priority regarding Afghanistan is preventing the country from once again becoming a base or refuge for groups hostile toward the United States.

Khalilzad, who previously held senior US diplomatic roles connected to Afghanistan, offered his assessment in an interview marking the run-up to the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. His comments reflect a long-standing US security concern that has persisted for more than two decades since the attacks reshaped American foreign policy and triggered the war in Afghanistan.

Context

The interview was published as the United States approaches the annual commemoration of September 11, the day the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon were attacked in 2001. Those attacks directly led to the US military intervention in Afghanistan, a campaign that lasted nearly two decades before American forces withdrew.

Khalilzad's remarks indicate that preventing Afghan territory from being used by anti-US groups remains a live concern in US foreign policy discussions, even years after the end of direct American military involvement in the country. His statement points to a broader ongoing debate about what role, if any, the United States should play in engaging with Afghanistan's current authorities in order to achieve its security objectives in the region.