Now the U.S. Must Help the Afghans Left Behind

After the Taliban entered Kabul on Aug. 15, the United States focused on evacuating Americans and vulnerable Afghans, and more than 100,000 were flown out of Afghanistan in a historic effort. Many more Afghan allies remain in the country, at risk of reprisal from the Taliban, and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to bring them to safety. When he and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talk of the enduring U.S. commitment to Afghanistan, they are primarily talking about finishing the evacuation.

For every Afghan who made it out, there are countless others left behind. The United States’ enduring commitment must include work to ensure those left behind are not forgotten by pushing Afghanistan’s new rulers to deliver for their people. That will take a level of engagement with—and even support for—the Taliban that will be unpalatable yet critical for a stable Afghanistan. And a stable Afghanistan is not