World should learn lessons from Afghanistan
The United States’ longest war ended in Afghanistan over the weekend after 20 years. On Sunday, the Taliban insurgents recaptured the Afghan capital of Kabul and declared victory with little bloodshed. The Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country is shocking not only to America, but also the world.
It is all the more shocking because the insurgents’ return to Kabul came much faster than had been expected. The problem does not seem to lie with President Joe Biden’s plan for the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Rather, Biden appeared to miscalculate the situation after the troop withdrawal. He was also blamed for having done too little in way of preparations for any possible contingencies there.
On Monday, Biden defended the troop pullout and put the blame on Afghans for the Taliban’s faster-than-expected re-conquest of the war-torn country. In fact, the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed due to rampant corruption, incompetence and political division. Its President Ashraf Ghani fled the country hurriedly. Its armed forces surrendered to the insurgents without any resistance.
The chaotic scenes of Afghans desperate to escaping from the country at Kabul’s airport are reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in April 1975, when the South Vietnamese capital was captured by North Vietnamese forces. Simply put, the U.S. suffered another humiliation. America’s reputation as the global superpower was undermined again despite its pledge to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
We should learn a painful lesson from the Afghan case. Washington’s efforts to fight terrorism and build a pro-U.S. government there have now gone up in smoke. The U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The invasion was part of their hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida which were responsible for the deadly attacks. The allied forces toppled the Taliban regime which had ruled the country from 1996 to 2001.
The U.S. has spent about $2 trillion in Afghanistan over the last 20 years and more than 2,400 American soldiers have died there. However, it is regrettable to see the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power. Now the case shows how incapable the U.S. has been in ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan and building a nation based on a Western model.
The U.S. and its allies should make all-out efforts to avoid such a fatal mistake again. Most of all, the international community must do all it can to prevent Afghanistan from emerging as a breeding ground for terrorism. China and Russia should not try to fill the power vacuum in the country to increase their influence there. The United Nations and its members need to do more to protect the freedom and basic human rights of Afghans, especially women, under the Taliban’s rule.
The United States’ longest war ended in Afghanistan over the weekend after 20 years. On Sunday, the Taliban insurgents recaptured the Afghan capital of Kabul and declared victory with little bloodshed. The Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country is shocking not only to America, but also the world.
It is all the more shocking because the insurgents’ return to Kabul came much faster than had been expected. The problem does not seem to lie with President Joe Biden’s plan for the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Rather, Biden appeared to miscalculate the situation after the troop withdrawal. He was also blamed for having done too little in way of preparations for any possible contingencies there.
On Monday, Biden defended the troop pullout and put the blame on Afghans for the Taliban’s faster-than-expected re-conquest of the war-torn country. In fact, the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed due to rampant corruption, incompetence and political division. Its President Ashraf Ghani fled the country hurriedly. Its armed forces surrendered to the insurgents without any resistance.
The chaotic scenes of Afghans desperate to escaping from the country at Kabul’s airport are reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in April 1975, when the South Vietnamese capital was captured by North Vietnamese forces. Simply put, the U.S. suffered another humiliation. America’s reputation as the global superpower was undermined again despite its pledge to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
We should learn a painful lesson from the Afghan case. Washington’s efforts to fight terrorism and build a pro-U.S. government there have now gone up in smoke. The U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The invasion was part of their hunt for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida which were responsible for the deadly attacks. The allied forces toppled the Taliban regime which had ruled the country from 1996 to 2001.
The U.S. has spent about $2 trillion in Afghanistan over the last 20 years and more than 2,400 American soldiers have died there. However, it is regrettable to see the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power. Now the case shows how incapable the U.S. has been in ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan and building a nation based on a Western model.
The U.S. and its allies should make all-out efforts to avoid such a fatal mistake again. Most of all, the international community must do all it can to prevent Afghanistan from emerging as a breeding ground for terrorism. China and Russia should not try to fill the power vacuum in the country to increase their influence there. The United Nations and its members need to do more to protect the freedom and basic human rights of Afghans, especially women, under the Taliban’s rule.
Taliban’s return
Source: Buhay Kapa PH
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