Bagram exit

Published July 4, 2021

THE exit of American and Nato troops from Afghanistan’s Bagram airbase which was completed on Friday, signals the end of an era, one that saw another failed attempt by Western states at nation-building and the ‘airlifting’ of democracy.

Bagram served as a grim example of how the West, particularly the US, set up notorious ‘black sites’ — under the garb of the ‘war on terror’ — that were practically gulags where the fundamental rights of prisoners were trampled on freely. Abu Ghraib in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay in Cuba are other members of this unenviable list.

Once a modest Cold War airfield, Bagram was transformed into a sprawling fortress that projected American military power in the aftermath of 9/11 many thousands of miles from the US homeland. But today, now that the Americans and their allies have quit Bagram, it is fair to ask: has their ‘mission’ been accomplished? With the clouds of uncertainty swirling around Afghanistan’s future following the exit of foreign forces, the answer is clearly in the negative.

The fact is that the involvement of foreign forces in Afghanistan — first the Soviets in 1979 and later the Americans and their Nato cohorts — has only prolonged the Afghan nightmare. While Afghan political forces and warlords are no doubt also to blame for the dysfunction that haunts their land, the interference of foreign powers and the playing of geopolitical games on Afghan soil have had a major part in destabilising the country, and preventing an organic evolution and political process from taking root. Though it can be argued that Afghanistan has rarely seen stability, perhaps the script would have been written differently if the USSR and later the US had not meddled in the country over the last four decades and counting.

Explainer: When is the US war in Afghanistan really over?

Looking ahead, there are far too many unknowns where Afghanistan is concerned. As a Western diplomat based in Kabul told Reuters news agency recently, the US and Nato have “won many battles, but have lost the Afghan war”. This is quite clear, as the Afghan Taliban, emboldened by a series of victories, have their eyes set on Kabul. The Western-supported Afghan government seems unable to defend the country, particularly without the military muscle of its foreign protectors.

While Joe Biden has talked of “over the horizon capacity” to defend the Afghan government, he has also said in the same breath that the “Afghans are going to have to ... do it themselves”. The message seems clear: Kabul is on its own.

Of course, an ‘Islamic emirate of Afghanistan’ is not a palatable option, not for the world, and not for Pakistan, as this country’s senior civil and military leaders have indicated. If Afghanistan implodes again, very real concerns of terrorism and refugees will confront the world community, particularly its neighbours. For now, there are too many unanswered questions about Afghanistan, and no convincing answers.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2021

Opinion

The price of chocolate

The price of chocolate

Little attention is paid to any long-term strategy which might prevent vulnerable children from working in homes where they are in danger.

Editorial

Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...
Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...