After the 9/11 attacks on America, Nato’s article 5 — which says an attack on one member is considered an attack on all — was invoked for the only time in its seven-decade history. When US forces began military action against Afghanistan, British and other Nato troops joined them. America’s withdrawal 20 years later, giving Nato allies little option but to pull out, delivers a double blow to the alliance. It has simultaneously laid bare the extent of Nato reliance on the US — and raised doubts about future American willingness to provide support to its allies.
President Joe Biden’s withdrawal announcement presented an uncomfortable fait accompli to other members of the international coalition — many of which saw their presence as a sustainable bulwark against the risks of terrorism and migration from Afghanistan. It also del