An Analysis of US-Led Liberal Disorder in Afghanistan Through a Liberal Theory of International Relations

Abstract

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan (2021) signaled the end of the longest war in the nation's history and the failure of the liberal international order built and led by the United States. This research examines the US withdrawal from Afghanistan through the lens of Neo-liberalism, to showcase how the American-led international liberal order is falling, moving away from a progressive and liberal internationalist direction, and returning to its founding principles. Additionally, the purpose is to indicate how the US was able to build a liberal order by instilling its values in different regions of the world and how this order is deteriorating, shifting away from a liberal set of norms and institutions that was believed would deliver perpetual peace. The US established international organizations in order to protect and spread its values. However, leaving Afghanistan in the hands of the Taliban goes against all the principles established by the US and the liberal order. The research argues that the combination of the "leading from behind" policy during the Obama administration and most importantly the economic mentality of Donald Trump has significantly weakened the liberal order. However, the recent withdrawal from Afghanistan represents a monumental betrayal to the very pillars upon which the liberal order was built. This decision can be seen as the final blow to an already weakened order, as it undermines the principles of global cooperation, trust, and collective security. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan marks a withdrawal from its commitments to uphold democratic values, promote stability and international cooperation, further eroding the foundations of the liberal order.