Strategic Analysis: U.S. Weapons Left in Afghanistan, Black Market Proliferation, and Implications for Pakistan
Strategic Analysis: U.S. Weapons in the Hands of Terrorists – A Growing Regional and Global Crisis Executive Summary The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 left behind an estimated $7 billion to $85 billion worth of military equipment, including advanced weaponry such as M4 and M16 rifles, night-vision goggles, and grenade launchers. Credible reports from the BBC, The Washington Post, and the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) confirm that approximately 500,000 of these weapons have been sold or smuggled to terrorist groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaeda affiliates, via black markets. These weapons are fueling a surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan, posing a severe threat to regional and global security. This report analyzes the validity of these claims, the U.S. response, the likelihood of UN action, Pakistan’s strategic options, and the Taliban’s role, providing a comprehensive assessment of the cr...