How the US as a Superpower lost control of Afghanistan after 20 years.The Blunders include the lack of cultural and historical understanding. Failure to learn from the lessons of the soviet union's history. The selections, and appointment of puppet and corrupt head of Government that played havoc in Afghanistan.
The tragic scenes of thousands of people attempting to flee Afghanistan were headline broadcast around the globe, as the Taliban triumphantly enter the Capital, as President Asharaf Ghani fled the country allowing the Taliban to take full control of Kabul. Although the US succeeded in evacuating Staffs from Embassy and other citizens, The Chaotic situation gripped the entire world as News broke regarding the Taliban getting rapid and unexpected control of Kabul and the Presidential palace, and the entire nation of Afghanistan.
Thousands of people gathered at the airport and wanted to leave the country amid the uncertainty and fear of being killed by the Taliban. Across the globe, the visual was history repeating itself, once it was the US that helped the Afghans to expel USSR from Afghanistan, now the same Taliban compelled US President Donald Trump to sign the deal with a group once branded as Terrorists, and it was the US turn to leave and abandon Afghanistan to the Taliban.
Well, time changes the course of action as the deal that was signed by Trump was finalized by President Joe Biden. It is really appalling how the US, a Superpower lost control of Afghanistan after 20 years despite pouring Billions of dollars on infrastructure development and training the Afghanistan forces. Regrettably, they could not stop the Taliban from getting full control of Afghanistan. All the investments, blood, and tears and sweat.. in vain.
How did the US government and its military experts make such Blunders? While there are much more complicated answers, but the simple answer, for now, is the lack of understanding of the Afghanistan culture and lack of history lessons from soviet union history, and the obvious selections of Puppet-corrupt leaders as head of Government for the Aghganistan people that played havoc with the state of Affairs.
A Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) calms down an infant at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 28. U.S. service members are assisting the Department of State with a Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) in Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps/Cpl. Davis Harris)
Instead of identifying and building on existing few positive cultural norms, the US attempted to covert and overhaul the whole system from the scratch without understanding the complications, circumstances, and culture of Pathans.
The Afghanis have a long history of resistance to foreign occupation, they have fought a civil war with the Soviet Union and kings of the Mountains. For the last several years, the US appeared busy in engagement with Afghanistan Government. First with Hamid Karzai then with Ashraf Ghani but regrettably, None of these had succeeded in producing results. The Country remained disintegrated since it lacked unity and equal representation from all the stakeholders.
One wonders how the two-decade-long stay of US and NATO forces on Afghan Soil could not maintain peace. It is clear that the US could not understand the socio, economic and cultural dynamics of the People they seek to dominate and govern.
The Tribal Nature of Afghans has been the driving force for disability as various tribal lords remain engaged in feuds and civil wars and as such, despite the US investment of trillions of dollars, nothing could deter the tribal structure.
In a statement of former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, P. Michael McKinley admits in his opinion column that that though the US was successful in eradicating Al-Qaida in the country but it failed miserably against counter-insurgency to Afghan Politics and nation-building. Furthermore, given the circumstances in Afghanistan, delaying a year or two for withdrawal of US troops would not have any effect since the internal security of the country was volatile and there was no writ of Government.
The country remained the target of Suicide bombings, bomb blasts, and other terrorist activities since rule of law was never formally established. The longest-serving president of Afghanistan did not win the hearts of the people and did not take efforts to foster unity. The Government had no writ and it was just confined to the presidential palace.
Millions of refugees still reside in Pakistan and other neighboring countries and they have no plans owing to the uncertainty and violent activities of the Taliban regime in the Past.
The other crucial mistake was the attempt to changing the culture and traditions of Tribal influenced nation. There was also the most striking miscalculation regarding the most nurtured and trained Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) dependency was ready to fight and die to secure Afghanistan from the Taliban.
Trillions were spent on their training and pieces of equipment, salaries, and perks, but all went in vain since they could not defend the capital falling prey to the Taliban. It is also arguable that the US despite their Longest stay in Afghanistan, could not develop a deterrent force that could guard the frontiers of the country after the US Troop’s withdrawal plan. It also adds to serious blunders of the US that weakened its control over the expedient Afghan Taliban who only depend on ground artillery as they had no any Aerial equipment except some Anti-Aircraft guns of Russian origin.
Afghan soil has always remained a battlefield of the superpowers i.e America and Russia (then USSR) , each tried to strengthen its foot in the region; thus Afghanistan is referred to as; “Grave Yard of Empire”.
President Biden has demonstrated the strength, wisdom, and virtue of a good leader.. In this instance, he has made an unpopular decision that in the end is right for America.
AFRO WORLD NEWS
