Reclaiming Bagram: America’s Strategic Dilemma In Afghanistan – OpEd
Whether we are talking about the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, the Al-Tanf base in Syria or the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, they all share one undeniable quality: immense strategic importance in shaping today’s world order.
Not long ago, US President Donald Trump publicly announced that it was time for the United States to take Bagram back. Whether this reflects an effort to correct past mistakes or to seize new opportunities in the region, one thing is clear: from the days of Alexander the Great to the Soviet invasion and the US-led war in Afghanistan, Bagram has served as the fulcrum of empires, a point where geography turns into strategy. It remains a symbol of power, geography and the enduring struggle for influence across South and Central Asia.
The Taliban’s fragile grip on power
Today, that symbol sits in the hands of a group of people who can neither understand nor manage it. The Taliban’s claim to power exists largely in their own imagination. They are not a functioning government but a collection of fighters that emerged from mountain caves. They lack technological sophistication, modern military infrastructure and the intellectual capacity to use Bagram to its full potential, or to invent or innovate anything on their own. What they possess is the residue of power, leftover US and NATO equipment that they barely comprehend.
Their weakness was on full display during the recent attack in Kabul, Kandahar and along the Durand Line, which the Taliban quickly blamed on Pakistan, accusing its neighbor of violating Afghan sovereignty. The Taliban’s response to a nation with nuclear capabilities was anything but satisfactory.
The fact that they could neither prevent nor respond effectively to these assaults reveals a simple truth: they are holding a nation hostage while sitting atop an unimaginable stockpile of resources they cannot secure, protect or control. Their actions, such as banning girls from school, send a clear message that they will not allow ordinary Afghans to innovate, aspire or contribute meaningfully either.
Their weakness creates a vacuum that others will eventually try to fill. Whether it is China or another emerging superpower, that void will not remain empty for long. For the United States, that vacuum presents both a warning and an opportunity. Reestablishing control of Bagram would once again place the United States within striking proximity of its adversaries, enabling it to project power, monitor regional developments and de-escalate conflicts before they spill over into wider crises. Bagram’s location forms a strategic belt that touches nearly every major competitor, from Tehran to Moscow to Beijing.
Moral and political dilemmas for the United States
Yet beyond the logistical and operational challenges, reclaiming Bagram raises deeper moral and political questions. Is the United States prepared to negotiate with a group it once officially designated as a terrorist organization? Many US service members and Afghan war veterans are still grappling with the moral injury and chaos of the August 2021 withdrawal. For those who shed blood, sweat and tears fighting the Taliban, the idea that their government might now engage directly with the same group is deeply troubling.
Equally important is the message this sends to Afghan allies who stood shoulder to shoulder with US and NATO forces in the fight against terrorism. How would the United States justify reversing its policy toward Afghanistan? Would taking over Bagram mean holding the Taliban accountable for their governance, gender apartheid policies, monitoring terrorist activity on Afghan soil or conducting operations to dismantle threats? These are not just operational questions; they strike at the heart of America’s credibility and moral authority in the region.
Restoring Afghanistan to the world’s conscience
Two decades of war kept Afghanistan within the global conversation. The world was paying attention. Today, that attention has faded, and the suffering of the Afghan people continues in silence. Repression, forced displacement, gender apartheid and the resurgence of terror groups now threaten not only Afghanistan but international stability as well.
The silence of the global community, the failure of international institutions and their unwillingness to act have allowed injustice to spread unchecked. For many Afghans, it feels like being trapped in a story that everyone else has stopped reading.
Reclaiming Bagram would not only serve American interests but also offer Afghanistan a path back into the world’s conscience. It would help prevent the country from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists, hold the Taliban accountable for their abuses against women and minorities, encourage investment and trade, and foster an environment that supports sustainable jobs and addresses the root causes of migration.
For the United States, taking back Bagram would be more than a strategic move. It would be a declaration of responsibility, moral clarity and renewed leadership in a region still waiting for both.
But in this complex equation, the Taliban themselves have something to gain. For the Taliban, the incapable and the uneducated, this could be the million-dollar deal they have been waiting for. A move like this could fuel their quiet but determined campaign to gain legitimacy on the world stage. The question is whether the United States, in trying to restore order and stability, would also risk granting credibility to those who have done nothing to earn it.