Afghan-American Relations In The Pre-Cold War Era: 1921-1948

Year 2025, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 141 - 160, 31.03.2025

Abdulhakim Allahdad

https://doi.org/10.14782/marmarasbd.1554589

Abstract

Much has been written about Afghan-American relations during the Cold War and post-9/11 periods. But the interwar period (1921-1948) have received less scholarly attention, despite the period’s critical importance in shaping the trajectory of bilateral ties. Afghanistan’s repeated efforts to establish formal relations with the US during this era met with long-standing hesitation and delayed reciprocation. Despite Afghanistan’s proactive and repeated diplomatic overtures, it took over a decade for the US to recognize Afghanistan’s independence and even longer to establish a permanent diplomatic presence in Kabul. In this context, this study aims to explore Afghanistan’s interwar period diplomatic efforts to forge ties with the US, uncover its core motivations, and investigate the factors driving America’s disengagement policy and reluctance stance. The study delves into reveal the complexities of early Afghan-American relations, where geopolitical calculations, economic pragmatism, and misperceptions shaped the interactions between the two nations. In doing so, it highlights a crucial yet under-discussed chapter in the history of Afghan-American relations, offering new insights into the dynamics of diplomacy during the interwar period.

Keywords

Afghanistan, US, Diplomacy, Cold War, Foreign Policy

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