U.S. Weighs Possibility of Airstrikes if Afghan Forces Face Crisis The Pentagon is considering whether to intervene with warplanes or drones in the event that Kabul is in danger of falling to the Taliban, though no decisions have been made. A United States Air Force pilot training Afghan service members in 2018. Afghan security forces are at risk of being overwhelmed by the Taliban once American troops withdraw from the country.Credit...Bryan Denton for The New York Times June 9, 2021, 7:21 p.m. ET WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is considering seeking authorization to carry out airstrikes to support Afghan security forces if Kabul or another major city is in danger of falling to the Taliban, potentially introducing flexibility into President Biden’s plan to end the United States military presence in the conflict, senior officials said.