It has been 20 years since the US entered Afghanistan. Now, almost two decades later, the country is right back to square one. How did we get here and how is it that in 2021 we have a militant organization in charge of a resource rich country? Well to understand that, we have to go all the way back to 1979.
Let’s set the stage. It’s 1979. ‘Love You Inside Out’ by The Beatles is the current rage and life couldn’t be better. Except for a Cold War, crippling economies across the world, nuclear arms races, Apartheid in South Africa and the Iranian Revolution, the world seems like a happy place. For those who are unfamiliar, the Cold War was a war fought between the US and the USSR through proxy wars and country development (basically both countries trying to one-up each other). A main feature of the Cold War was the USSR’s constant obsession over sparking communist revolutions everywhere. Vietnam? Spark it. China? Spark it. Afghanistan? Spark it. And spark it they did. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan lasted for nearly 19 years. It was ended by a group of powerful rebels (backed by the US) known as the Mujahideen.
During the 19 years the Mujahideen and the government fought a long and gruesome civil war, many civilians fled to Pakistan where in some ‘madrasas’, children were taught radical Islamism and combat skills. These children formed the Taliban. So to recap, children fled a war-ridden country with what they could carry on their back and were taught how to fight.
Fast forward to 1992 and the Mujahideen finally overthrow the Soviet-Afghan government. Two years later, the Taliban (now grown up) enter Afghanistan with the intent to take over the country. The Taliban, while originally from Afghanistan, are actually alien to the Afghani citizens. They speak a different dialect of the Pashto language that they took up in Pakistan, they follow a different culture, and they are power hungry. The Taliban overtakes the government and assumes control in 1996. They establish The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The state becomes a breeding ground for terrorism, especially when a separate group known as Al Qaeda seek the aid of the Taliban who willingly give them land and equipment to train extremists.
The United States really began to interfere in Afghanistan after the events of 9/11. On September 11th 2001, hijacked planes flew into the World Trade Center in one of many atrocities. Osama Bin Laden (Leader, Al Qaeda, 1996-2001) was the man who claimed responsibility for these events. The intent was to send a message to the United States that Al Qaeda was officially at war with them.
In October of 2001, the US went into the country to end terrorism in the region forever. While the US made advancements in the nation, there was nothing massive that ended the organizations. While OBL was killed, the organizations present, including the Taliban, shrunk but were still very much running.
It is estimated that the United States spent 2 trillion dollars in Afghanistan; that works out to an average spend of 300 million dollars a day. That is extremely expensive, even for the mighty United States, and in 2020 former president Donald J. Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban to de-escalate from the region. Joe Biden did not repeal said contract and went ahead with it. It is important to note that the Afghani government that the US spent 20 years to make were not only invited to the peace talks but also not trained to handle pressure from the Taliban. After the US actually started retracting troops, it took the Taliban 10 days (not a typo) to take over the entire country and establish themselves in the seat of government in Kabul.
Today the Taliban are just the way they were back in 1996, perpetuating oppression of women, different castes, and just downright bad things. The only difference this time is that there isn’t a superpowered army protecting the innocent civilians who want nothing but peace and happiness.
2352 deaths in Afghanistan, 2 trillion US dollars spent, over 20 years and the outcome is right back where we started – right back to the depths of despair.
– Arjun Kakkar, 10H