There are no unrealistic assessments that the American Chief of Staff has now made about Afghanistan.
The fact that the Taliban came to power easily does not mean that they can maintain control of the country.
Civil war is a serious possibility;
There is still fighting in the Pandschir Valley.
And it cannot be ruled out that the country will again become a base of operations for jihadists - be it as a result of instability or the “hospitality” of the Taliban.
That is a devastating prospect after twenty years of Western presence in the Hindu Kush.
But it is better to adjust to reality early on.
The West has been fooling itself in and about Afghanistan for too long.
The withdrawal was associated with the risk that the country could develop again in a direction that poses a threat to its people and abroad.
Biden took the risk
All of this may have come faster than some had thought or hoped, but in principle it was known.
Biden took the risk, which left the American allies no choice.
And he made another commitment that no one in NATO can avoid.
America has no fundamental national interests in Afghanistan, says the president.
The fight against terrorism is being waged all over the world and it does not require the use of ground troops.
In other words, Biden would accept civil war.
In Germany, where strategic discussions are better avoided, these questions have so far played no role, especially not in the election campaign.
As usual, the political debate over the past few days has revolved around humanitarian issues.
The fact that the Taliban now generously “forgive” us for our mission in Afghanistan does not mean that the possible terrorist threat for Germany is insignificant. In this case, Biden apparently relies on air strikes and (a few) special forces. What is Germany betting on?