KABUL (Dispatches) -- Five years have passed since the chaotic withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan, and the legacy of two decades of foreign occupation is now being harshly judged. 
The sudden departure, which the Taliban have declared a “Victory Day,” exposed what critics describe as the hubris and failure of a neo-colonial experiment that ultimately abandoned the civilian population to its fate.
The aftermath of the military invasion has been catastrophic. The war, which claimed an estimated 174,000 Afghan lives, including more than 30,000 civilians, left the nation shattered and impoverished. 
However, the humanitarian calamity was exacerbated not just by the conflict, but by the punitive measures imposed by the departing powers. 
The decision to freeze approximately $9.5 billion of Afghanistan’s central bank assets has strangled the economy, triggering a severe downturn that the UN warned would push millions into poverty and hunger. 
This asset seizure, alongside steep cuts to development aid that constituted 75% of the previous government’s expenditure, has been criticized as a deliberate strategy that turned a humanitarian crisis into a man-made disaster.
Critics, including former UN officials, have stated that the international community effectively “abandoned” the Afghan population after years of dependency. 
The UK’s role has been especially scrutinized, with analysts pointing to its “colonial assumptions” and involvement in the “Great Game,” which led to blunders in its Afghanistan mission and, some allege, a history of supporting militant takfiri movements. 
Furthermore, accusations have surfaced suggesting that the U.S. was complicit in the nation’s transformation into a narco-state, with reports indicating that NATO forces were seen guarding opium crops, fueling illicit profits that destabilized the country from within.
Today, the consequences of this sudden withdrawal are stark. The humanitarian response plan is critically underfunded, with only 26% of required funding provided so far this year, as the West has turned its back. 
The freezing of assets continues to hamper economic recovery, isolating the Taliban-led government and making reintegration for millions of returning refugees nearly impossible. 
While Western leaders justify these actions as pressure tactics, NGOs and Afghan citizens state that these policies have only deepened the suffering of a population still reeling from the destructive legacy of a failed occupation and a sudden, irregular flight that left the country to fend for itself.