From Abbey Gate to today: How five years reshaped the Middle East and world policy – analysis

Five years after the Abbey Gate attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, former US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation honoring the 13 American service members killed and over 160 civilians injured. Trump criticized the 2021 withdrawal as "one of the worst military disasters in our Nation's history," attributing it to the Biden administration's policies. The Wall Street Journal's documentary, "The Path to Zero: The Withdrawal From Afghanistan," further details the chaotic withdrawal, including the closure of Bagram Airfield and the rapid collapse of Afghan forces, which culminated in the Abbey Gate bombing.

• The article suggests a potential link between the Afghanistan withdrawal and subsequent global crises, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, and the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, questioning whether a perceived weakening of US deterrence emboldened adversaries.
• Geopolitical shifts since 2021 include the expansion of economic blocs like BRICS and SCO, increased influence of Russia and China, and a stagnation of US-led initiatives such as the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum.
• Iran has also escalated its activities, supplying drones to Houthis and increasing attacks by its militias in Iraq, further contributing to regional instability.
• The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, alongside China's growing power, indicate a continuing era of global chaos and challenges to the US-led world order, with lessons from Kabul still being evaluated.