US Wants Bagram Back; Forgets Owning It Did Not End Well
The United States, fresh off its 'successful' 20-year pacification mission in Afghanistan that ended in a chaotic withdrawal, now apparently has an itch to return to Bagram. Regional players like India, Iran, Pakistan, and China, meeting in a security forum, have politely (or not so politely) reminded Washington that they're not keen on a sequel to 'Forever War: The Empire Strikes Out' . (One
might wonder if they saw how well the first twenty years went down). This isn't about 'stability'; it's about projecting power — the same power that trained the current Afghan government's predecessors. The U.S. spent trillions, over 2,400 American lives, and countless Afghan lives maintaining military infrastructure like Bagram, only for it to be abandoned. Now, the suggestion of reopening those
dusty gates reveals a stunning amnesia for historical outcomes and regional sovereignty. How many times does a superpower get to 'stabilize' a country before its neighbors say, 'No, thanks, we'll take our chances'? They've literally been there, done that, and received the bill for the rubble.