How long will Afghans continue to suffer at the hands of their own people?
Yes, that sadly is the question Afghanistan faces after decades of wars, conflicts, occupation, foreign interference and goodwill support from donors.The question remains as urgent and relevant as ever, and it needs to be confronted frontally, and clearly, without any fuzziness.
The outrageous attacks targeting a maternity hospital in Kabul and a funeral in Nangarhar province sent shock waves across the world. Whether it is the political leadership in President Ashraf Ghani and his challenger Abdullah Abdullah or the Taliban, all have a stake in peace but they have fallen horribly short on their evidence to pursue peace. Several months into election, the political leaders have not been able to compromise for the safety and future of their own people. Does anyone have an extraneous factor to blame here? As for the Taliban, they have behaved inhumanly by continuing their destabilizing attacks against their own people, even after reaching a peace deal with the United States. Or perhaps they have been emboldened in their newfound status to the extent that they consider their nuisance a powerful means to influence.
It was crystal clear several years ago, when President Barack Obama started rapidly moving American troops out of the Afghan battlefield after taking out al-Qaeda terror chief Osama bin Laden that Washington would not stay in Afghanistan forever. But even then, the then president Hamid Karzai behaved as if the world forever continue to foot the economic, security and food bills for his landlocked country. Instead of using his long years in power to put Afghanistan on a realistic course to peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, particularly Pakistan, he went about blaming extraneous factors for his country’s chronic problems.
Now the Ghani-Abdullah tussle has exposed the truth bitterly that Afghan leaders, warlords, religious factions and ethnic players have never prepared themselves or their people for internal harmony. The United States, as per President Donald Trump’s policy, is withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. In fact, as per reports the pullout is going on precipitously. As pointed by as seasoned expert on South Asia Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, the U.S. will withdraw its troops anyway with the coronavirus outbreak being the latest motivating factor on the minds of policymakers and leaders. As for Afghanistan’s neighbors including Pakistan, they must learn that throwing Afghanistan back to the 1990s chaos is a recipe for disaster. India, which has minced no words in its opposition to peace deal involving Taliban, and wants to extend its influence come what may on the western border of its rival Pakistan.
Once the U.S. disengages militarily, and the international assistance evaporates, Afghanistan will be back to the edge of uncertain future. In such a scenario, millions of Afghans, who have worked so hard to revive education and civic work in their country, would be left on the mercy of foreign-backed proxies and ill-meaning internal power players. Should not Ghani and Abdullah put their heads together to think of the future, security and progress of Afghan people? Should not they compromise politically for the sake unity among ethnic groups? Should not get into the serious business of working out a power-sharing arrangement with the Taliban before it is too late the militant groups refuses to even talk of a ceasefire?
And where is the United Nations? Should not the United Nations, though seized with the COVID-19 pandemic, be proactive in assisting the Afghans work out a peace deal? The United States, which has invested so much in blood and treasure, also cannot just walk away. Should not Washington work on securing an agreement from rich countries including the EU on committing resources to Afghanistan in the years ahead? China and Russia too should be asked to commit funds to rebuild Afghanistan. If the responsibility claimed by the Daesh, militancy of the Taliban and self-destructive political course of its leaders are not enough what else will motivate the world to save Afghanistan?
Afghanistan has to be saved, not just for Afghans but for the world peace and security.
Very naive and immature comments on Afghanistan situation, as in most cases. Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah have been propped up on American support, else they have no credibility and credentials. Calling them players in the Afghan situation doesn’t make sense. With Americans leaving, these people are losing their crutches which were propping them up. That’s the background situation for analysis, of which the so called analysts have no realization.