What should be our Afghanistan Policy?
M. Orhan Tarhan
May 17, 2009
Afghanistan is a mountainous country of uneducated Muslim inhabitants that was of no great importance to the United States until 9/11. When it became obvious that the Taliban was protecting Osama bin Laden, it suddenly became very important.
The Bush Administration sent a few hundred troops to help the Northern Alliance that was fighting the Taliban and succeeded in defeating them. Then, President Bush made a big mistake by not following that success with more U.S. forces and totally eradicating the Taliban. He also did not pursue bin Laden forcefully enough. So the old rascal is still around some where in the ungoverned section of Pakistan.
In stead he sent U.S. forces to Iraq, which had no relation with bin Laden and his Al Qaeda. Thus, the Taliban could resurrect and become a force that joined NATO and U.S. forces have a hard time to fight.
Because of the Taliban, the future of Afghanistan and Pakistan are tied together. My previous LETTER 151 discussed Pakistan. There are some differences though between the two countries:
(1) Afghanistan has a much weaker government. Karzai was called by some Western politicians "the Mayor of Kaboul" because his powers were not reaching the provinces.
(2) Afghanistan tolerate the presence of U.S. forces, while Pakistan can not.
(3) The Taliban enjoys a sort of safe harbor in the ungoverned provinces of Pakistan. The U.S. wants either that Pakistan prevents the Taliban to use its territory or let the U.S. fight the Taliban there. Pakistan is unable to prevent the Taliban to use its land, but also because of considerations of pride cannot allow the U.S. to do it themselves. There is a strange resemblance with the PKK issue in North Iraq.
(4) Afghanistan produces opium that finances the Taliban. Pakistan does not have that problem
What ever was done until now in Afghanistan was not successful. First our forces were in Iraq. It was reported in CNN that the top U.S. General, General David McKiernan, was relieved of his duties and will be replaced soon by Lt.General Stanley A. McChrystal, who will be promoted to four stars. Washington Post used the word "Fired" .
The basic problems in both countries are quite similar. Both live by the Islamic law, the Sharia. Both countries have very low literacy rate, and need basic secular education, not only for boys, but also for girls. That cannot happen before the Taliban has been eradicated. Thus, the Taliban must be first defeated totally and completely. Then we might hope to win the hearts and minds of the rest of the population. Our agricultural department must find another plant to replace opium all the opium and export it to Western drug companies as it was practiced for years by the Turkish government.
Nothing can happen as long as there is a Taliban danger. Therefore first things must come first. Let us hope that the new U.S. General really understands these two countries, and succeeds in totally defeating the Taliban. And then every constructive thing can happen.
The Bush Administration sent a few hundred troops to help the Northern Alliance that was fighting the Taliban and succeeded in defeating them. Then, President Bush made a big mistake by not following that success with more U.S. forces and totally eradicating the Taliban. He also did not pursue bin Laden forcefully enough. So the old rascal is still around some where in the ungoverned section of Pakistan.
In stead he sent U.S. forces to Iraq, which had no relation with bin Laden and his Al Qaeda. Thus, the Taliban could resurrect and become a force that joined NATO and U.S. forces have a hard time to fight.
Because of the Taliban, the future of Afghanistan and Pakistan are tied together. My previous LETTER 151 discussed Pakistan. There are some differences though between the two countries:
(1) Afghanistan has a much weaker government. Karzai was called by some Western politicians "the Mayor of Kaboul" because his powers were not reaching the provinces.
(2) Afghanistan tolerate the presence of U.S. forces, while Pakistan can not.
(3) The Taliban enjoys a sort of safe harbor in the ungoverned provinces of Pakistan. The U.S. wants either that Pakistan prevents the Taliban to use its territory or let the U.S. fight the Taliban there. Pakistan is unable to prevent the Taliban to use its land, but also because of considerations of pride cannot allow the U.S. to do it themselves. There is a strange resemblance with the PKK issue in North Iraq.
(4) Afghanistan produces opium that finances the Taliban. Pakistan does not have that problem
What ever was done until now in Afghanistan was not successful. First our forces were in Iraq. It was reported in CNN that the top U.S. General, General David McKiernan, was relieved of his duties and will be replaced soon by Lt.General Stanley A. McChrystal, who will be promoted to four stars. Washington Post used the word "Fired" .
The basic problems in both countries are quite similar. Both live by the Islamic law, the Sharia. Both countries have very low literacy rate, and need basic secular education, not only for boys, but also for girls. That cannot happen before the Taliban has been eradicated. Thus, the Taliban must be first defeated totally and completely. Then we might hope to win the hearts and minds of the rest of the population. Our agricultural department must find another plant to replace opium all the opium and export it to Western drug companies as it was practiced for years by the Turkish government.
Nothing can happen as long as there is a Taliban danger. Therefore first things must come first. Let us hope that the new U.S. General really understands these two countries, and succeeds in totally defeating the Taliban. And then every constructive thing can happen.
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