In a scene reflecting what critics describe as the height of imperial arrogance, U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that Afghanistan return the military equipment and weapons left behind by U.S. forces during their humiliating withdrawal in 2021. The abandoned equipment is estimated to be worth around $7.1 billion, with Washington arguing that
“the American people paid for it.”
The Afghan response came as a direct rejection of Washington’s demand.
Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi categorically rejected the request, stating that the equipment has become the property of the Afghan state and is not subject to negotiation.
When Balkhi was reminded of the U.S. argument, he responded with a pointed counterargument:
“The United States killed huge numbers of people, the vast majority of them civilians, and destroyed most of the country. Shouldn’t it pay for those crimes first?”
Update | Developments
Reports indicate that the Afghan government views the abandoned military equipment, including tens of thousands of vehicles and advanced weapons systems, as “war spoils” and a limited form of compensation for two decades of occupation and extensive destruction.
Despite reported attempts by Washington to exert pressure, including through Afghanistan’s frozen assets and possible conditions linked to normalization, Kabul has reportedly closed the issue, maintaining that the equipment is now a core component of Afghanistan’s military arsenal.
Sources: CBS News / Azerbaijani news agency Axar.az