KARACHI:
The US has proclaimed itself to be the “policeman of the globe” since the Second World War. It has intervened, manipulated, crushed, and created major upheavals across the world. The US invasion of Afghanistan in response to the September 11 attacks provided it with ample reasoning to attack terrorism globally. Thereafter, the US and its allies have spent trillions of dollars in several countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, and parts of Africa, and Latin America.
From the onset of the war, many could already foresee that the outcome of the war on Afghanistan would be similar to that of the Vietnam war. The US entered the war in Afghanistan with hopes of redeeming past military failures and ending terrorism and the opium trade. However, like the Vietnamese Vietcong, the Afghan Taliban also had assistance from different countries to fight the war against the US and its allies. The rapid takeover of the Taliban after the withdrawal of foreign troops is not a sign of success for the US. Many Afghans now fear a wave of extremism and anti-feminist rhetoric in the country. Although, the Taliban have claimed to protect women’s rights and offer amnesty to government officials, they should now uphold their word and relieve the Afghan people of their anxieties.
The world powers are no longer willing to tackle the situation in Afghanistan. This could be either because they do not have any vested interests, or they want to avoid any further casualties. The onus of the current situation is now on the Taliban and how they lead Afghanistan towards recovery.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2021.
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