Who stands to benefit from the US’s exit from Afghanistan?
The US is almost out of Afghanistan, but the country remains a strategic location with vast resources.
As planned, the American military occupation of Afghanistan is coming to an end.
The pull-out has been criticised as a major defeat.
But was the 20-year war a complete failure?
For years, the US military presence gave it an advantage over rivals in the region.
It also allowed civil and military contractors to make millions of dollars.
And the long war opened a window for mineral exploration, estimated to be worth billions.
So, if the war was so lucrative, could we see another one?
Moscow and Beijing do not seem alarmed by the Taliban’s takeover.
And they have already shown interest in supporting the future of Afghanistan.
So, what does this mean for the region?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan
Guests:
Hassan Abbas – Former Pakistani government official and author of The Taliban Revival
June Teufel Dreyer – Professor at the University of Miami and specialist on Asia economy and security
Hashmat Moslih – Independent Afghan analyst