August 17, 2019

The U.S.’s disastrous rush for exit from Afghanistan

topic:	Security
located:	Afghanistan, USA
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

As the much awaited, however fragile yet rejuvenated talks between the U.S. and Taliban inch closer towards a deal in Afghanistan, the ambiguities surrounding it continue to spread shockwaves.

In most of the newsfeeds that the Afghans have been following, the Taliban negotiators are shown clad in their hallmark long white dresses with grim reactions on their faces without much talk of the need for peace. Their much rigorous social media accounts continue to celebrate round-the-clock lethal operations across the country, killing Afghan security forces with no mention of civilian casualties.

The more dominant party to the Afghan conflict, the U.S. bears a much heavier responsibility than what the Trump Administration in Washington seems to be sensing while proceeding with the peace talks in the Qatari capital, Doha. Clearly driven by domestic politics in the U.S., President Donald Trump seems utterly keen to score some quick points by rushing to exit from Afghanistan at this crucial juncture in time.

What people desperately want to hear and see in this war-ravaged country is some true and sincere will, combined with actions for an end to the venomous cycle of bloodshed; an immediate ceasefire.

It is already quite late for these talks to gain momentum to end the conflict that has been claiming an estimated 50 lives a day on average for the past many years. But, the last moment rush, as indicated by some reports suggesting the U.S. has settled for guarantees that the Taliban would not attack only them, means pushing back the country to the dark past. This deal would clearly mean the Taliban are given a free hand, and in fact encouraged to continue attacking the nascent Afghan Security and Defense Forces that the international community helped develop after years of generous support.

Without exploiting the vacuum of power that might emerge as the country braces for landmark presidential polls, the emphasis should remain on the continuation of nation-building ventures. The democratic process should be allowed to nurture with the Sep 28 presidential polls parallel to the peace parley rather than either of them undermining the other.

Studies of similar conflicts worldwide suggest the imposition of will by force has never worked for long. And, Afghanistan as a country emerging from one such raging conflict desperately needs the international community’s support to reach peace at this key moment.