From wasteland to bustling base, last U.S. forces say goodbye to Bagram

U.S. Army soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division and U.S. contractors prepare Mine Resistant Ambush Protection vehicles, MRAPs, to be transported off of base in support of the withdrawl mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan, August 21, 2020. U.S. Army/Sgt. Jeffery J. Harris/Handout via REUTERS .

(Reuters) - This was the moment. The sky lit up with explosions over Kabul. We could see the headlights of Taliban trucks leaving the capital.

The Northern Alliance fighters danced in a cloud of hashish smoke. Their commander grinned. America had joined the war.