Just this June, American B-2 bombers flew roughly 18 hours from Missouri to Iran, including multiple aerial refuelings, to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities. The operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer” would have been far simpler and far faster had the United States still controlled Bagram Air Base.

Rewind to August 2021. Under President Biden’s watch, America abandoned Afghanistan in a haphazard rush. The U.S. had poured hundreds of millions of dollars into building up Bagram’s runways and infrastructure. Along with the base, some $7.1 billion in U.S.-funded military equipment was left in Afghanistan, much of which the Taliban seized or inherited from Afghan forces.

There is an old saying: Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. For centuries, foreign powers have tried to master its mountains and valleys, only to be forced out in defeat. Rudyard Kipling, writing of the Afghan frontier, captured the same truth: empires spend treasure and blood, only to be humbled by tribesmen with ancient rifles.

Now, in September 2025, President Trump has revived the question. During his state visit to the United Kingdom, standing alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he declared that the United States is “trying to get [Bagram] back,” citing its proximity to Chinese nuclear facilities. It is a bold proposal and one worth serious consideration.

Trump doubled down yesterday evening on Truth Social: “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!! President DJT.”

Bagram sits in northeast Afghanistan’s Parwan Province, about 30 miles north, less than an hour’s drive from Kabul. Its twin runways, one stretching 12,000 feet, were designed to handle the largest American bombers and transports. From this high plateau at the edge of the Hindu Kush, U.S. forces could reach Iran to the west, Pakistan to the south, and Central Asia to the north within minutes. Most importantly, Bagram lies just a short flight from China’s western Xinjiang region and the Lop Nur nuclear test site. Few military outposts on earth offer such a commanding vantage point over four nuclear powers and some of the world’s most volatile frontiers.

Here are seven reasons why retaking Bagram is a strategic necessity.

1. China at the Doorstep. Bagram places the United States within striking distance of western China. From this vantage, America can monitor Beijing’s military build-up in Xinjiang, including reported activity at the Lop Nur nuclear test site. At a time when China is rapidly expanding its arsenal and projecting influence across Eurasia, regaining Bagram would put Washington back in the neighborhood - close enough to matter; close enough to deter.

2. Counterterrorism Hub. The threat from ISIS-Khorasan continues to grow, spreading tentacles into South Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe. From Bagram, the U.S. could launch precise counterterrorism operations without the need for grueling long-haul bomber runs or distant over-the-horizon strikes. A small but permanent presence would keep pressure on extremists who thrive in ungoverned spaces.

3. Central Asia Foothold. With Russia deepening its grip in Central Asia and China expanding its Belt and Road corridors, the United States risks irrelevance in a region where it once held the upper hand. Even a modest return to Bagram reestablishes a foothold in this contested crossroads, a signal to both Moscow and Beijing that America is not ceding the field.

4. Leverage Over the Taliban. The Taliban want recognition and access to billions of U.S.-held Afghan central bank reserves, though those assets remain frozen under legal restrictions and held in a fund the Taliban are not permitted to use. A return to Bagram gives Washington leverage without granting the regime legitimacy too soon. Bases are bargaining chips: if Kabul wants economic engagement, it must tolerate a limited American presence that serves mutual interests in counterterrorism and stability.

5. Signal of Resolve. America’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan in 2021 scarred its credibility. Reclaiming Bagram would show allies and adversaries alike that the United States does not slink away forever. It would reverse the image of weakness and project an image of resolve, proof that American power can correct its own mistakes.

6. Supply & Intelligence Platform. Bagram’s runways, hardened facilities, and pre-built infrastructure make it irreplaceable as both a logistics hub and an intelligence outpost. From there, Washington can monitor Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asia with unmatched proximity. Satellites can see, but only a presence on the ground can command the region.

7. Nuclear Security Stakes. Afghanistan borders Pakistan and China, two nuclear states, and sits near Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Bagram offers a forward position from which to monitor, deter, and, if necessary, respond. In a world of multiplying nuclear risks, such a vantage point is not a luxury but a necessity.

Bagram is more than a memory of America’s longest war. It is a fortress, a gateway, and a lever of power in one of the world’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Reclaiming it is not about reliving the past. It is about positioning the United States to meet the threats of the future.

President Trump has reopened the debate. The case is clear: Bagram offers unmatched strategic reach, leverage against adversaries, and a chance to correct the blunder of 2021. This time, America must not walk away.

Bag the Bagram back; not for nostalgia, but for necessity. Make no mistake: we are not calling for nation-building, nor for deeper entanglement in Afghanistan’s politics. The case for Bagram is about strategy, not occupation.

🧠 TIPP Investing Weekly

Week Ending: September 19, 2025

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📅 Key Events This Week

🟧 Tuesday, September 23
09:45 – S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (Sep)
Survey of manufacturing business conditions.
09:45 – S&P Global Services PMI (Sep)
Survey of services sector activity.
12:35 – Fed Chair Powell Speaks
Remarks on monetary policy and the economy.

🟨 Wednesday, September 24
10:00 – New Home Sales (Aug)
Monthly sales of newly built homes.
10:30 – Crude Oil Inventories
Weekly change in U.S. crude stockpiles.

🟧 Thursday, September 25
08:30 – Durable Goods Orders (MoM, Aug)
Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods.
08:30 – GDP (QoQ, Q2)
Quarterly economic growth rate.
08:30 – Initial Jobless Claims
Weekly count of new unemployment claims.
10:00 – Existing Home Sales (Aug)
Monthly sales of previously owned homes.

🟨 Friday, September 26
08:30 – Core PCE Price Index (YoY, Aug)
Fed’s preferred annual inflation gauge.
08:30 – Core PCE Price Index (MoM, Aug)
Monthly change in core consumer prices.