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More than sixteen years ago the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group built and groomed by Pakistan’s ISI had managed to extent its rule over most of Afghanistan. After the departure of the Soviet Union from its disastrous military occupation of Afghanistan the Pakistan authorities were desperate to block Indian influence and maintain at least some control over what was going on in that isolated, poverty stricken country. The Taliban were an unappealing group: They were enforcing a harsh brand of Sharia law and women were relegated to their places. The artistic accomplishments of ancient eras were destroyed. There was no joy in Kabul. Read Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns for a brilliant description of life in Kabul under Taliban rule. The Taliban played host to Al Qaeda, a group of fundamentalist Muslims that was engaged in terrorist attacks particularly against the United States. The ruling Taliban and their ISI sponsors were unwilling to take action against Al Qaeda [Islamic hospitality] despite the fact that the group were openly engaged in terrorist actions that had killed many persons in Africa in blowing up two American Embassies and had subsequently attacked a US naval ship. So much for Pakistan, ever faithful ally of the United States. On September 11, 2001 the Al Qaeda successfully destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and attacked the center of the US military establishment, the Pentagon. More than 3000 persons died. An angry and vengeful United States attacked the Taliban and drove them out of power in a few weeks. Al Qaeda senior personnel fled and hid, mostly in Pakistan under the watchful eye of the ISI. Invoking Clause 5 of the NATO treaty members of the Atlantic alliance joined the United States to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban that had condoned and permitted the attack on the United States. Al Qaeda was effectively destroyed. Most of its senior members were killed including Bin Ladin who, hiding with women in Pakistan, was killed and dumped into the ocean. An appropriate end for a spoiled rich boy become mass murder while posing as a man of God.War without end
Despite all the sound and the fury we are right back where we have always been
Forrest Cookson
More than sixteen years ago the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group built and groomed by Pakistans ISI had managed to extent its rule over most of Afghanistan. After the departure of the Soviet Union from its disastrous military occupation of Afghanistan the Pakistan authorities were desperate to block Indian influence and maintain at least some control over what was going on in that isolated, poverty stricken country. The Taliban were an unappealing group: They were enforcing a harsh brand of Sharia law and women were relegated to their places. The artistic accomplishments of ancient eras were destroyed. There was no joy in Kabul. Read Khaled Hosseinis A Thousand Splendid Suns for a brilliant description of life in Kabul under Taliban rule. The Taliban played host to Al Qaeda, a group of fundamentalist Muslims that was engaged in terrorist attacks particularly against the United States. The ruling Taliban and their ISI sponsors were unwilling to take action against Al Qaeda [Islamic hospitality] despite the fact that the group were openly engaged in terrorist actions that had killed many persons in Africa in blowing up two American Embassies and had subsequently attacked a US naval ship. So much for Pakistan, ever faithful ally of the United States. On September 11, 2001 the Al Qaeda successfully destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and attacked the center of the US military establishment, the Pentagon. More than 3000 persons died. An angry and vengeful United States attacked the Taliban and drove them out of power in a few weeks. Al Qaeda senior personnel fled and hid, mostly in Pakistan under the watchful eye of the ISI. Invoking Clause 5 of the NATO treaty members of the Atlantic alliance joined the United States to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban that had condoned and permitted the attack on the United States. Al Qaeda was effectively destroyed. Most of its senior members were killed including Bin Ladin who, hiding with women in Pakistan, was killed and dumped into the ocean. An appropriate end for a spoiled rich boy become mass murder while posing as a man of God.
Afghanistan is no country to be in for most people. It is a poverty stricken, uneducated, backward society. It has no significant culture except violence. Its people were busy through the centuries killing each other and growing drugs for sale to Europe and the United States.
Having destroyed the Taliban and harnessed the ferocity of some of the Afghan tribes, the United States Government set out to build a modern state failing to grasp that the culture of violence and corruption was so deep that it was impossible to be successful.
An appropriate action would be to leave and let the Afghans do what they wanted insisting that they not grow poppy and that they not host terrorist organizations. The country that should have been punished was Pakistan. That was easy to do: Please return the military equipment; there will be no more. Stop all financial transactions through Pakistan banks and freeze the accounts of all senior politicians and military officers; and demand that the ISI senior staff be turned over to NATO to be put on trial for war crimes.
Instead the United States and its NATO allies spent hundreds of billions of dollars to maintain control of Afghanistan, attempted economic development and construction of infrastructure, and of all ridiculous undertakings to build a democratic society.
These efforts to achieve ridiculous objectives were unsuccessful. No significant economic development was achieved although the statisticians were able to invent some GDP numbers that looked good but meant nothing. Drug cultivation increased rapidly. The government of Afghanistan was actually a den of thieves who stole much of what was given to the country for development. But the Americans kept trying and Mr. Obama increased the troop levels to more than 100,000 plus perhaps 20,000 other NATO country troop contributions. The entire performance was a bizarre circus. But the American Government continued spending vast sums of money and halfheartedly fighting the resurgent Taliban. Finally the troop levels were reduced and the fighting was left to the Afghans with some limited air support from the westerners. Now in 2017 things are worse than ever. The Afghan army is not fighting well.
The economy is turning more and more to drug production. Corruption is rampant. The Afghan government is too large to be supported by its revenues and must be supported by the United States and its allies. The Taliban is making a strong military comeback. Common opinion is that if the US military walks away and the funding of the Afghan government stops then the Taliban will take over some of the country and there will be fighting continuing among the different tribes.
Some believe the Taliban would take over most of Afghanistan. This is of course the objective of the ISI and Pakistan. Their purpose is to keep India out of Afghanistan. The Chinese are providing much more support to Pakistan and will be pleased with the outcome of a Taliban Afghanistan. Do not worry there will soon be groups fighting against the Taliban.
Mr. Trump has now decided what he will do. During his campaign for President he more or less argued for getting out of Afghanistan. Now he has a lot of generals around him who do not want the war to come to an and then have to face the fact that the American Government lost this war. Leave the generals argue, and the Taliban will eventually defeat Afghan army and take over the country. President Trump they will say you do not want to be the President that ran away from Afghanistan and lost the war. If we lose there may even be some terrorists roaming around. The generals were persuasive, the decision is to stay and fight it out. More than that to win.
President Trump was rightly guarded in speaking of the number of troops to be deployed, how long the NATO soldiers will stay, and how he is going to prevent Pakistan support for the Taliban. Remarkably he argued that India should do more in Afghanistan.
Trump seems to be redrawing the lines of support for the Taliban to Pakistan and China, while the opposition is the Afghan government, India, NATO and the United States. No one seems to know the attitude of the NATO countries engaged in Afghanistan.
Despite all the sound and the fury we are right back where we have always been: An Afghan army more interested in money than fighting, a get rich while we can attitude prevalent among everyone involved in this country both Afghan and foreigner, a limited commitment by the United States to fighting the Taliban, and no clear view of the end.
Mr. Trump had a choice. He has taken the wrong path.
Everyone engaged in Afghanistan comes out badly. An intelligent policy for the United States is to withdraw both military and financial support from Afghanistan. A failed policy does not become successful by throwing more money and more soldiers to achieve what could not be achieved when there were many more soldiers and much more money.
Just what is it that is going to make a difference? I do not know! Does Mr. Trump have some magic potion? Is he Napoleon who will lead the American army to victory? Or is he still the trickster who is all illusion and pretense?
One more President commits the United States to this war without end. The American generals have lost this war by promising what they could not deliver. They have not learned any lessons.
The folly of building a democracy will continue. Tragically the west has brought freedom to women; many will now lose this freedom and probably be cruelly punished for the experience.
The writer is an economist
