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21 September 2024

Inside the Afghanistan Evacuation in 2021: An Ambassador’s Perspective

Robert Riley

In over four decades of serving as an ambassador, Foreign Service Officer, and staffer in public and private international service organizations, I have lived through countless diplomatic challenges and crises. But nothing could have prepared me for the gravity of what unfolded during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. The rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces left behind chaos and uncertainty, creating an urgent mission to save our Afghan allies and American citizens stranded in the country. While many have focused on the politics and optics of the withdrawal, my colleagues and I worked tirelessly in the trenches, combining every resource we had at our disposal to ensure their safe passage.

Setting the Scene: A Historic Withdrawl from Afghanistan

This is a story of unsung heroes, public and private entities, volunteers, and ordinary citizens who stepped up. Using office software, satellite maps, messaging apps, and even secret codes to hide our intentions from the Taliban, we worked collectively to guide thousands of people to safety. What we accomplished was nothing short of a miracle, but it was not without immense challenges—many of which were shaped by decisions made long before the final withdrawal.

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