The article is devoted to the military operation in Afghanistan ending up in 2014, to the upcoming withdrawal of the main U.S. military contingents and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from this country, and to the new situation in South and Central Asia emerging in this regard. The author pays special attention to the evolution of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, including such important elements as the "New Silk Road" concept and the "Trans-Afghan Pipeline" (TAPI) geopolitical project, as well as to the stance of the leading regional powers (Russia, China, Pakistan, India) on the Afghanistan conflict regulation and security arrangements draft for regional development.