'Forgot-astan': Vets and Afghans on the withdraw
The United States' plan to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by fall is drawing mixed emotions, from both its war veterans and those who live there.
The move would end America's longest conflict - which has cost the lives of 2,448 American service members, and cost an estimated $2 trillion.
Tom Porter served there for a year, as a Navy public affairs officer. He says he had hoped for more progress.
"There's a common term that we use, because… The term is "Forgot-astan" because the American public has largely forgotten that we've been over there. So, it's hard to keep engaged in a war when the American public don't even realize what our mission is, what our goals are and what we're doing over there."
"So, so much of our treasure and lives have been sacrificed over there and so many veterans have, have come back with, with various wounds of war. So, I just naturally, like a lot of folks, envisioned some greater level of success before we, we withdrew."
There are just 2,500 troops left in Afghanistan - compared to a peak of 100,000 back in 2011.
PresidentJoeBiden has set a September 11th deadline for withdrawing, exactly 20 years after al Qaeda's attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon that triggered the war.
Withdrawing is a risk Biden is prepared to take at the start of his presidency, one that proved too great for his predecessors.
There's a chance al Qaeda could return, or that the Taliban insurgency could topple the U.S.-backed government in Kabul.
Locals are scared of that possible outcome, and aren't convinced Afghanistan can cope without foreign support.
"It's a worrying situation and people believe that if foreign troops leave the country, there will be a civil war."
"I don't think foreigners will leave our country, but if they do, I'm sure Afghanistan doesn't have the capability to stand on its own feet."
Biden says the U.S. will begin the withdrawal from Afghanistan on May 1.
Until then, Afghans will wait with uncertainty, for whether peace is possible in their country.
