Official diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and the United States began in 1935 when Afghanistan opened its embassy in Washington, D.C. on May 26 of that year.
Since then, these relations have experienced many highs and lows. Researchers suggest that a significant reason for this instability has been the U.S.’s lack of commitment to Afghanistan and its opportunistic approach at various times.
According to research from the U.S. Library of Congress, initial connections between Afghans and American traders began in 1830, dating back 194 years. Documents indicate that Afghanistan’s first political delegation was sent to the U.S. in 1911 by Amir Habibullah Khan, aiming to establish official relations.
A year after World War II, Afghanistan opened a consulate in New York. In 1948, the U.S. opened its embassy in Kabul, thereby formalizing bilateral diplomatic relations. Over the more than 75 years since, these relations have seen multiple periods of warmth and tension.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the U.S. provided economic and military assistance to Afghanistan, implementing several major projects in Kabul and southwestern regions. Notable initiatives included the Helmand Valley Agricultural Project, the Kajaki Dam, the Kandahar-Herat Highway, and the expansion of Kabul University.
When Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the U.S. opposed the invasion and provided weapons and funding to the Mujahideen, support that lasted a decade. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, the U.S. led a coalition invasion of Afghanistan, remaining there for two decades.
In 2004, Afghanistan signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the U.S., and by the end of 2014, a bilateral security agreement was also signed between Kabul and Washington.
We conducted an interview on this topic with Mr. Wahid Faqiri, a researcher on international issues, in the “Subat” program, which we would like to highlight.
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