Unsuccessful War
By: Amjad Ali Dadda
A decade has been passed since the American invasion of Afghanistan, after 9/11 in 2001. American started an invasion on the backs of horses as they entered the area along with forces of Ahmad Shah Masood and other northern factions. A major issue in this war by the some of the analysts is war itself, while the roots and causes of this war is another topic. American coalition started with a quest for hunting down Bin laden, later turned into a war against, Taliban extreme regime; which was tolerating al-Qaida and was providing them safe havens. Afghans who always resisted foreign forces and were appreciated for their simple type of guerrilla resistance by the American friends of that time in 1980s, are not fighting with the same pace and same endeavour as they did against the Soviets’, second as against Soviets; Pakistan, Israel, India more or less all nations gave kind of support to Afghans and this time this support was not present there (a version).
According to all popular versions, people of Afghanistan were tired from brutal regimes of the Taliban and others fighting before the Taliban. All these were the positives in favour of innovative, modern power of the coalition; yet things turned against the forces to bring peace in the area. One can blame Iran, some elements of the USSR or clearly to Pakistan. Yet we need to be more focus on this fact that Afghans who won over the Russians, according to some analyst were that successful, because regional powers of time and the major powers of West, Pakistan supported them openly and trained the mujahideen, but this time this thing did not happen. Nether, Taliban or al-Qaida if we say got any training facility within Iran and Pakistan as per resistance model of 1980s, nor they got support or open support, any good supply line from any neighbouring countries, including Pakistan; which turned back on them after 9/11.
This makes all very issue a mystery, that easily created enough vacuum for the birth of many conspiracy theories, including involvement of ISI, support from some Islamic states, including Iran or possibly Saudi Arabia. While the last thing can be put on remains of Soviets’ and existing socialist China. But the way, Taliban emerged and begaved it was never suitable for nay of neighboring countries to allow such version of Islam or government to flourish in the area. If, we simplify this mystery with some social and economic realities of Afghanistan, then this gives lots of new angles that make some outcome more acceptable.
30 years of the war, people were suffering, they supported the Taliban, because they took them as a force which can bring peace (that happened partially). When it was time for Taliban to start the delivery of semi-peace benefits in this war-torn country? Al-Qaida was involved in 9/11 and thus American and Pakistanis along with Saudis took their support back and even the Saudis attracted crack down on al-Qaida financiers. America invaded them, while Pakistan that in past provided with all supply lines and support along with information support, now turned against them and was easy to help the USA in capturing of around 500 top al-Qaida leader and Taliban leaders.
Even a keen look of the events reveals that all resistance mainly was only based in Afghanistan comprising, Talibans, AlQaeda and some other Pakistani tribal area recruits, which start fighting to help Arab guests mainly. Yet this resistance due to lack of support on gross roots started to decline and till winter 2003 it went to its lowest mark of engagements. This was a time, when Americans were supposed to turn the table against the Taliban and was easy go from there to reshape old traditional ruling style of the tribal jirgas. But, they made astonishing double blunder. One they turned their attention towards new arena in Iraq and shifted the strategic focus, obviously it gave Taliban a chance to unite again, using all good means within Afghanistan and also got sympathisers inside Pakistan. If, we critically analyze the situation this never was a miraculous come back of the Afghsn Talibans, but it was more a failure of ISAF in delivering the fruits of liberation within Afghanistan.
Though, they were successful in giving a new hope to the Afghanis refugees to return to their homes from Pakistani and Iran, yet they failed to sustain the necessary development. Second, all moves and support provided for recovery of Afghanistan were good and workable measuring the Afghan needs, yet there was a major fault this. Ir was a fault which Americans, unfortunately were facing since the second world war, till this day in whole world of developing countries in Africa, Asia and else. It comes as reflect different than the western unity of culture, economic and social structures. Americans were very much supportive in recovery and revival of Europe, yet they fail till this day in repeating the same model in the rest of the world.
There are a few simple reasons behind that; one Europeans were advanced in all fields compare to other states. The model of recovery introduces under the Marshal Plan was suitable and was harmonious with the economic structure and social norms of these countries in Europe. On contrary all plans given in rest of world fail to accommodate local economy and social values. Americans failed to push their brand of democracy and injections of political values in these countries were not having required educational and other foods for recovery to establish a workable democratic system.
Americans made blunders by relying on individuals they picked in all states they intervene, or these individuals directed later to turn power corrupts. The model of development and intervention were based on the information gathered from ruling junta or Pseudo-scholars, which basically were anti-cultural in their views and public was not having any interests in their modern, moderate or democratic ideas. The slow spoon feed supports were also distributed or supported empowerment of the same ruling junta, instead of focusing on the development of people. Promotion of democracy was a label mostly used by this ruling, westernized janta to grab powers and to make money (corruption).
This intervention, still can bring fruits, at least for Afghanis after 2014, when ISAF and USA will pull out. If Americans want peace in the region, or they want Afghanistan soil should not be used for any future training against USA or Europe, there is the need to involve local communities and there is also needed to be with indigenous democratic formulas for each state, instead of coming with popular democracy every time for every place. The best and easiest way is to involve university graduate for the formulation of intervention strategy, they also need to recruit university graduates on scholarship these students can be the only trusted group that will reflect a true local socio-political representation; further this will lead effective democratic development of the future in these states like Afghanistan.
Another way is establishment of model cities in invading areas or use intervention strategists to target couple cities imitually and try to establish very grassroots representative democratic model with accommodation of local values and customs. A need to find a midway to resolve the issue by strength the people instead replacing faces one after other, like changing Mullah Omer with Hamid Karzai. On other hand current ruling class and leaders also should change their attitude and should make them acceptable to common people and should wait for public to empower them as leaders. Most probably the major political face can come from current leadership yet they have to come with a genuine leadership approach, they must have the courage to say “no” to Americans when they find something against their people. Similarly, American should also learn to say “no” to western looking opportunist and should deal with true leaders and representative even one may have some type of tough stance on modernity of systems. American also need to learn, how to tolrate that of hearing a “no” from a local leader. Espacilly, when one is the true representative of the people. Like shareholders in banks, these people should be given chance to grow, way is toward democracy as no doubt its the best working form of government in the current political world. Now, it is the time for American to decide whether they want to win a war only for next presidential speech or they truly wants to win the war. They must decide either they have courage to fix the mistakes they made, while dealing rest of world other than Europe or they will continue with iron hand till the world finds someother global leaders to mark the way of democracy and liberation, may be the dawn of next century.
UNO also should help USA and ISAF to make this unsuccessful war a success, till the end of 2014 instead escape goat and targeting Pakistan. It is clear this war is on the negative end for its results, not because of the power of Taliban within Afghanistan or supports to insurgencies, and groups like Haqqani and Taliban but because the war was not handled properly as possible to end this in 2003 by focusing on Afghanistan and coming with working 21st century model.
Still, its Urdu proverb which says, “come Late, come true”
