North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday launched a training program in Turkey for Afghan military personnel. This is the first time when Afghan soldiers are being trained outside their country after the end of the NATO training mission in Afghanistan, Pajhwok News reported. “NATO’s continued support to Afghanistan includes out-of-country training for Afghan Special Forces. This training has now begun. For security reasons, we will not go into the details of our out-of-country training for Afghan special forces,” NATO informed. Earlier, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated NATO’s continued support for Afghanistan, noting that this will include funding, civilian presence, and out-of-country training, Pajhwok News reported.
The US, along with its allies of 46 nations, fought in Afghanistan for almost two decades, spent trillions of Dollars, sacrificed thousands of its soldiers, and yet admitted that the Afghan war is “un-win-able,” and finally withdrew from Afghanistan. Afghanistan is known as the graveyard of empires. Historically, British, Russians, and now Americans have been defeated in Afghanistan.
Although the US has destroyed infrastructure, power plants, Industry, Agriculture, and killed millions of innocent Afghanis, made millions homeless, forced millions to live in refugee camps or immigrate to other countries and live a miserable life. But count not control any part of Afghan soil. Almost 90 percent of Afghanistan is under Taliban control practically.
The role of the Afghan Government of Ashraf Ghani or Hamid Karzai was not different from President Dr. Najeeb, Hafiz Ullah Amin, Noor Muhammad Turkey, etc. Under the occupation of the former USSR in the 1980s. One was USSR’s puppets, and now it is American puppets’ governments. Both were not elected by the people of Afghanistan and were not representatives of the Afghan people. Both were imposed on the people of Afghanistan and were backed by foreign forces, i.e., the former USSR, and now it is the US. Both were working on foreign agenda and were not looking after the people of Afghanistan nor the national interests. Both were employees of foreign forces and were working on their dictations and were implementing foreigner’s strategic plans. While President Ashraf Ghani and Hamid Karzai were following their footprints, their end should be similar too. There will be no role of the Afghan Ghani government of Hamid Karzai in the future political setup in Afghanistan.
It is the Taliban who struggled to liberate their motherland from foreign forces, either from British, or Russians, or Americans. Taliban are the real power-pillars, owners of the country, and winners of the decades-old war. They protect Afghanistan and look after the interests of Afghanistan genuinely. They are the winner, and they deserve to rule the country. There will be no share for Ashraf Ghani or Hamid Karzai or any traitor serving foreign masters.
Although the bias and partial media kept on projecting the negative image of the Taliban and portraying them as uneducated, wild, cruel, and uncivilized, but actually, they are well educated, some of them graduated from American or European Universities. They are equipped with the latest knowledge of Economy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Health, and religions, etc. Whatever propaganda is disseminated against them, all turn wrong and counter-productive. At the end of the day, they have defeated the foreign aggressors throughout history and now are in a strong position to rule the country.
As the major part of the country is under Taliban control and Government forces are surrendering with almost no resistance. Taliban are in a position to enter Kabul at any moment conveniently. But, they are wise and smart people and wanted a political solution. Militarily, they are the winner but are struggling to gain recognition from the rest of the world politically. The recent visit of the Taliban to China was part of their diplomatic breakthrough. They have got recognition from Russia and China, and many other countries under their influence. They have close contact with few European countries and middle-eastern countries. Once they are confident that their Government will receive a welcome from the international community, they will enter Kabul without any hardship.
Few countries are trying to harm the peace process in Afghanistan but will never succeed. The American support to the Afghan Government is one tool to keep Afghan unstable and war-like situation. When the US was in Afghanistan, having 150,000 troops, support, and backing of 46 countries, full military might, could not defeat the Taliban. How can they succeed while out of Afghanistan and making airstrikes from far away bases in Middle-East. Afghan Government has no capacity to face the Taliban at all.
It seems that the US has changed its strategy and wanted to involve Turkey in Afghanistan. Post withdrawal, Turkey may be asked to provide security of Kabul airport. Let me share Pakistan’s experience. It might help our Turk brothers. After the 9/11 incident in 2001, Pakistan supported the US in its war on terror. During the Afghan war, Pakistan was with the American side. Taliban believes that Americans were aggressors and any country supporting aggressors is equally wrong and considered an enemy. So, the Taliban turn up against Pakistan and fighting against Pakistan. Terrorism increased in Pakistan, Taliban were attacking Pakistan on and off and harming Pakistan’s interests. Principally, the Taliban should be friendly with Pakistan, but as a cost of friendship with America, we faced enmity with the Taliban and paid a heavy price. On the other hand, Americans also betrayed Pakistan and, after gaining its strategic goals, punished Pakistan in the form of sanctions and blackmailing. Americans have a tradition of punishing their friend and always proved disloyal.
Let’s Turks evaluate and re-asses the benefits of offering training to Afghan Army and cost on enmity with Taliban, and decide in their best national interests.
