The 21st Show

Illinoisans Respond To US Departure From Afghanistan

Produced by Anna Casey
 
Taliban fighters stand guard in front of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Thousands of people packed into the Afghan capital's airport on Monday, rushing the tarmac and pushing onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government.

Taliban fighters stand guard in front of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Thousands of people packed into the Afghan capital's airport on Monday, rushing the tarmac and pushing onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government. AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

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As of mid-August, American troops have left Afghanistan after two decades and the longest war in U.S. history. The Taliban has taken control of the government there once again. Thousands of Afghans who helped American troops have swarmed the airport, desperate to leave the country to avoid being killed. To hear an analysis of what's to come next, we spoke to an expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

GUEST:

Marvin G. Weinbaum 
Director, Afghanistan and Pakistan Studies, Middle East Institute and Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Prepared for web by Owen Henderson

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