Report reveals US blunders in Afghanistan

The final report of the United States Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reads less like an audit and more like an autopsy. Released in December, the report systematically exposes the failures and culpability of the US two-decade "reconstruction" in Afghanistan. Drawing on nearly a thousand audits and investigations, the report reveals that the US intervention, which cost over $148 billion, failed to deliver so-called "democracy". Instead, it degenerated into a farce riddled with strategic miscalculations, rampant corruption and significant civilian suffering.

The main cause of the systemic failure was the fundamental miscalculation of trying to create a "democratic utopia". Washington sought to reshape the war-torn country, characterized by low development and distinct tribal and religious traditions, into a Western-style "democratic model". The approach disregarded Afghanistan's historical traditions and complex national conditions.

The US Afghanistan policy was also fraught with internal contradictions. The SIGAR report highlighted that the government set impractical timelines, equating rapid spending with reconstruction progress, which directly fueled corruption and rendered many projects ineffective.

Rampant corruption turned the $148 billion into a "fat lamb to be divided" for interest groups. As of September 2025, SIGAR had identified 1,327 cases of waste, fraud, and abuse, involving over $26 billion. More than 17 percent of congressional appropriations were squandered or embezzled. The "ghost soldier" phenomenon was widespread, with Pentagon overpaying hundreds of millions in salaries.

Arrogance and closed-mindedness also characterized the US decision-making on Afghanistan. At the Bonn Conference, Washington deliberately excluded the Taliban from the political process for Afghanistan. In 2020, it made a hasty withdrawal decision without adequately consulting the Afghan government. Several former senior US officials have admitted that the country never truly understood Afghanistan and that its intervention was doomed to fail.

Washington's ineffective control over corruption was the crux of the problem. The absence of effective fund-tracking mechanisms and the use of decentralized accounts made fraud detection difficult. Some US officials pursuing "political success" deliberately overlooked clues of wrongdoing and even thwarted investigations.

Furthermore, civilians were neglected. While Washington claimed to improve livelihoods, Afghanistan's core development indicators remained among the world's worst. One-third of Afghans faced acute food shortages, life expectancy was just 59.1 years in 2021, far below the global average, and female literacy was under 30 percent. Besides, the US colluded with corrupt Afghan warlords to pursue short-term security interests, ignoring their exploitation of civilians and sexual violence against women.

Failing to establish sustainable social reform mechanisms in Afghanistan, the US so-called rights protections unraveled instantly after its troops withdrew. The security situation was equally devastating. The US military actions in Afghanistan deviated from the original "counter-terrorism" purpose, becoming a source of instability.

The US reliance on airstrikes and special operations to counter "insurgency" targeted civilian villages and resulted in the internal displacement of over 3.5 million Afghans — one of the world's largest. Besides, its post-withdrawal freezing of $7 billion Afghan state assets in the US put further pressure on the country's economy.

The US is primarily responsible for this failure. It must stop evading accountability and acknowledge its culpability in Afghanistan. Washington must reform its foreign intervention decision-making processes. The US think tanks should abandon the illusory narrative of "democracy export" and instead provide policy recommendations.

Second, Washington should economically compensate Afghanistan by unconditionally unfreezing the country's overseas assets, establishing a dedicated compensation fund for affected civilians and fully delivering its committed humanitarian aid through neutral channels such as the United Nations without any political condition. The unilateral sanctions on Afghanistan should also be lifted, allowing the country to participate in normal international trade and the global financial system.

Third, it must respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and cease interference. History has proven that external intervention is the root cause of Afghan turmoil. The US should respect the Afghan people's right to independently determine their future and stop exploiting Afghanistan as a pawn to contain other regional countries.

Fourth, the US should aid Afghanistan in post-withdrawal reconstruction and development, focusing on fundamental sectors such as agriculture, health care and education to help the country develop self-sustaining capabilities.

In this context, China's stance on the issue offers valuable references. China has consistently adhered to the principle of noninterference in Afghanistan's internal affairs, respecting its sovereignty and independence while playing a constructive role. It has promoted dialogue and consultation among Afghan parties to build a consensus on peace. Since 2021, China has consistently supplied food, medicine, and vaccines, benefiting millions of Afghan people. It is committed to integrating Afghanistan into the Belt and Road Initiative, enhancing collaboration in energy, minerals, and infrastructure and expanding imports of Afghan goods. China also aims to improve Afghanistan's connectivity with neighboring countries and facilitate its integration into the regional economic system. It maintains close cooperation with Afghanistan and its neighbors, firmly opposes the cross-border spread of terrorism, and actively promotes regional security and stability.

The final SIGAR report has, with solid evidence, exposed that instead of bringing stability and "democracy" to Afghanistan, the US intervention resulted in corruption, civilian suffering and regional instability. Moving forward, Washington should learn from these lessons, compensate the country, and collaborate with the international community to support genuine peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

The author is the director of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies in the China Institute of International Studies. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.