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Joe Votel was only a few weeks into his new job as commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the US Army’s elite special operations force, when Al Qaeda hijackers attacked New York.
At his base in Fort Benning, in the southern state of Georgia, his secretary came into his office and told him to switch on the TV.
“It was confusion and then shock of what was happening,” the now retired four-star general recalled, speaking to The National from his home in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Then came the “realisation that everything had kind of changed on that day. We knew things were going to be different. We didn't know exactly how.”
We had other options available to us here. I'm sad that we have chosen to go in the direction we have.
General Joe Votel
In the two decades since the September 11, 2001 attacks, Gen Votel’s career followed the arc of America’s military response.
Having retired in 2019, he is now watching aghast as Afghanistan unravels at breakneck speed and is reflecting on some of the missed opportunities from America’s so-called War on Terror.
“We need to be level with the American people in terms of how hard these things are,” Gen Votel said when asked what lessons could be drawn from the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Another thing that ought to be learned out of this is really the limits of the military…. There has been a belief by our policymakers and others that if we just continue to drop enough bombs, provide enough troops … then we can turn this around.
“That's an important part of this, but the military is insufficient, in and of itself, to accomplish strategic objectives like we had in Afghanistan.”
The former commando, who now is a distinguished senior fellow on national security at the Middle East Institute, was one of the first officers to parachute into Afghanistan during the US-led invasion of October 2001.
Years later -- after heading the Special Operations Command -- he ran the Pentagon’s Central Command (Centcom) that oversees US operations across Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Early on in the Afghanistan war, the US and its main ally Britain maintained a “light touch” approach, relying on air power and small numbers of commandos to topple the Taliban.
Special forces troops were quick to achieve this goal, but the Pentagon would not allow them to push their strategic advantage, instead relying on more air strikes and untrained Afghan militias.
“If we'd have been more aggressive ... we could have solidified the situation a bit quicker and brought stability to the country faster, and then move forward on some of the more important governance and other issues that that needed to be addressed,” Gen Votel said.
Vast numbers of Taliban fighters fled to neighbouring Pakistan or rural areas in the south and elsewhere.
Gen Votel recalled the US intelligence community learning of the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden and other senior Al Qaeda leaders, who were hiding out in the Tora Bora mountainous region of Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan.
“We had an opportunity at Bin Laden, and really to strike a very devastating blow against Al Qaeda in December of 2001,” Gen Votel said.
But “for a variety of reasons, we were unable to capitalise on that. And then, I think our campaign wandered a little bit," he added. Bin Laden crossed into Pakistan and melted into the rugged tribal area.
With Bin Laden’s escape, the Afghan mission was only half complete. The consequences of failing to fully vanquish the Taliban and Al Qaeda early on paved the way for the brutal insurgency that followed.
But no sooner than it had invaded Afghanistan, then-president George W. Bush’s administration set its sights on Iraq – even though Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11.
The diversion of resources and attention to a new invasion has been blamed for many of the ensuing failures of the US mission in Afghanistan.
“Where we made a mistake was not pressing harder. On Afghanistan, we really had the opportunity, when the Taliban were really on the outs there … to start looking at how we were going to re-engage with that part of the population and to solidify the security environment and really press hard against Al Qaeda,” Gen Votel said.
“There was a lot of focus back here in the United States on Iraq and that took a sucked a lot of oxygen out of the air.”
Critics have also pointed to negotiations in Bonn in December 2001 as seeding future conflict. The Taliban were denied a seat at the table as western powers picked their successors.
With no stake in a future government, the Taliban asserted that any “puppet” regime would be illegitimate -- messaging they stuck to for 20 years.
“It took us several years before we'd kind of figured out that we needed to put more emphasis on the ground [in Afghanistan]. Again, a lot of a lot of that was because of our some of our distraction with Iraq,” Gen Votel said.
Over the years, western powers have spent billions of dollars training and equipping Afghanistan’s forces, with some 300,000 national police and soldiers filling the ranks.
Countries like the US insisted the Afghan security forces were strong enough to stand alone, pointing to a nascent air force and elite special forces units as particular success stories.
But it is now clear this assessment was staggeringly misguided.
Afghanistan watchers have for years warned of inherent weaknesses in the Afghan military and police forces, which are beset by corruption, but the pace of the collapse has stunned even sceptics.
The Taliban have taken over most of the country, with Kabul next on their list.
A tide of humanity is descending on the capital as people seek to flee the Taliban onslaught amid reports of executions and the kidnapping of young girls for Taliban brides.
Gen Votel said such an outcome was predictable amid a rushed US withdrawal. The relatively small Nato footprint – and US air power – had been enough to keep the Taliban at bay for years, he said.
“We could have left a small sustainable presence on the ground that would have helped preserve our interests,” he said.
He sees little hope for what comes next.
“I'm sad for the people of Afghanistan. The good people of Afghanistan really deserve an opportunity for peace and stability. I'm disappointed that we weren't able to deliver for them,” he said.
“We had other options available to us here. I'm sad that we have chosen to go in the direction we have.”
All of which leads to the inevitable question: was any of it worth it?
“I've been asked this question several times,” Gen Votel said.
“For a variety of reasons, we have not achieved the political, strategic end state that we would have desired in this. ... I don't think it minimises the service of anybody that was that fought there, that served there, or who had loved ones lost there”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
