The Forgotten War: Afghanistan's Plight In The Global Consciousness

The war in Afghanistan has been the longest war in the history of the United States, lasting 20 years. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions. The US initially invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to defeat al-Qaeda and its Taliban hosts and prevent a repeat of the 9/11 attacks. While the Taliban was initially defeated, the US soon lost focus on Afghanistan due to the war in Iraq, and the Taliban regrouped and retook control of the country.

The US has spent an estimated $132 billion on development assistance in Afghanistan, but much of this money has been wasted, stolen, or failed to address the problems it was meant to fix. The US also spent close to $700 billion on the warfighting in Afghanistan. The British Army has also been involved in Afghanistan since 2001, and more than 100,000 soldiers have been deployed. The UK has played a leading role in the NATO/ISAF-led military intervention, supported by a UN Security Council Resolution, to prevent the country from becoming a haven for international terrorists.

The future of Afghanistan remains uncertain. The Taliban has pledged not to allow Afghanistan to become a base for terrorists who could threaten the West, but it is unclear how the group will govern the country and what their rule means for women, human rights, and political freedoms. The US and its allies must now decide how to respond to the Taliban's return to power and ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists once again.

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan

Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has experienced a range of issues, including economic collapse, soaring malnutrition, and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. The group has imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law, despite initial pledges to respect the rights of women and religious and ethnic minorities. They have banned most girls from attending school and prohibited women from working, teaching, and attending universities. Women are also restricted from travelling without a male guardian and are required to cover their faces in public.

The Taliban's return to power has also raised concerns about the group's ties to terrorist organizations, particularly al-Qaeda. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Experts worry that Afghanistan could once again become a safe haven for terrorists, despite Taliban statements to the contrary.

The international community's response to the Taliban's return to power has been mixed. While no country has formally recognized the Taliban government, there are ongoing debates about how to engage with the group. The U.S. and its allies have imposed sanctions and frozen billions of dollars in Afghan central bank assets, demanding that the Taliban honour their commitments on security, governance, and human rights.

The future for Afghans remains uncertain, with millions struggling to survive. While the Taliban have celebrated their return to power and the establishment of security, the UN and human rights groups have documented numerous human rights violations, including the suppression of free speech and the restriction of women's rights.

The US's longest war

The war began in 2001, when the US invaded Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. The Taliban-ruled country was providing refuge for al-Qaeda, the terrorist organisation that had orchestrated the attacks. The US's initial goal was to defeat al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power.

The Taliban regime fell within weeks, and al-Qaeda's leadership was killed, captured, or fled. However, the Taliban soon regrouped, and the US and its allies remained in Afghanistan to support the new government in Kabul and prevent a resurgence of the Taliban.

Over the next two decades, the conflict ebbed and flowed as the US grappled with how to stabilise Afghanistan and prevent the collapse of the fledgling Afghan state. The US and its allies helped improve the lives of countless Afghans, advancing the rights of women and girls, supporting independent media, and building schools, hospitals, and roads.

However, the war also resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 American soldiers and, according to some estimates, hundreds of thousands of Afghans. It cost the US close to $1 trillion and became a source of frustration for US officials, who struggled with short-term thinking, missteps, and a lack of consistency across four administrations.

In 2021, President Biden announced the US's complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking the end of its longest war.

The impact of the war on the Afghan people

The war in Afghanistan has had a profound impact on the country and its people. Here is an overview of some of the key effects:

Civilian Casualties and Displacement:

The war resulted in significant civilian casualties, with estimates ranging from 46,319 to 170,000 Afghan civilians killed due to direct fighting. Additionally, the conflict caused indirect deaths from disease, lack of access to food, water, and infrastructure. The UN documented over 10,000 civilian casualties in a single year, with the first half of 2021 seeing a record high as the Taliban ramped up their offensive. The war also led to massive displacement, with over 2.7 million Afghans becoming refugees and 4 million internally displaced.

Economic Devastation:

The Afghan economy has been devastated by the war and subsequent instability. The country faces food insecurity, with 92% of the population facing some level of food insecurity and 3 million children at risk of acute malnutrition. The war disrupted the economy, leading to widespread poverty, and the country now faces the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

Healthcare and Education Impact:

The war had a significant impact on healthcare and education in Afghanistan. While there were some improvements, such as increased life expectancy and reduced maternal mortality rates, the conflict disrupted access to healthcare and education services. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the challenges, with a Taliban attack destroying the main hospital in southern Afghanistan.

Gender Inequality and Human Rights Abuses:

The war and the subsequent Taliban rule have severely impacted the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan. Girls are barred from secondary schools, and women are subjected to restrictive measures such as the requirement to have a male companion for travel and to cover their faces in public. The Taliban has also reintroduced public flogging, executions, and other harsh punishments.

Infrastructure Destruction:

The war resulted in the destruction of critical infrastructure in Afghanistan. The US military's withdrawal in 2021 involved destroying equipment and vehicles worth billions of dollars, and the country now faces challenges in rebuilding.

Corruption and Inefficiency:

Corruption and inefficient use of international aid have been significant issues in Afghanistan. Billions of dollars in aid were lost to waste, fraud, and misuse. Additionally, the rapid withdrawal of US troops and the subsequent collapse of the Afghan government led to concerns about the proper distribution of remaining aid.

Drug Trade and Illicit Economy:

Despite US efforts to curb the drug trade, Afghanistan remains a major producer of opium, which fuels the illicit economy and provides revenue for insurgent groups like the Taliban. Efforts to eradicate poppy fields and reduce drug production have had limited success, and the trade continues to be a significant source of income for many Afghans.

The US's future involvement in Afghanistan

The US has undertaken significant efforts to assist the Afghan people during a period of humanitarian and economic catastrophe. The US has led the international response to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, working through UN agencies and NGOs. The US has also advanced efforts to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance and help fulfill the basic needs of Afghans in the priority areas of food security, agriculture, health, and education. Beyond basic needs, the US has also supported programs designed to improve human rights in Afghanistan, particularly those of women, girls, and minority communities.

The US has made significant efforts, in coordination with other members of the international community, to avoid a collapse of the Afghan economy without benefiting the Taliban. These efforts have boosted financial sector liquidity and helped Afghan banks retain access to the international financial system.

The US engages with Taliban representatives to urge the establishment of a credible process to form an inclusive government that fully reflects Afghanistan's rich diversity, including meaningful representation of women and minority communities. The US continues to support such efforts.

The US has not publicly announced any future plans for involvement in Afghanistan.

The role of other countries in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has historically been a strategically important country for many world powers. It is located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia and shares borders with several countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.

In the past, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and non-alignment, maintaining diplomatic relations with various countries, such as the United States, the Soviet Union, North America, the European Union, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, and Turkey.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, NATO Allies and partner countries deployed military forces to Afghanistan under a United Nations Security Council mandate to prevent it from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. The United States played a significant role in the country's recent history, invading Afghanistan in 2001 to remove the Taliban from power and later signing the Doha Agreement with the Taliban, which led to the withdrawal of U.S. and Allied forces from the country.

China, Russia, and the United States have contacted Taliban representatives following their takeover of the Afghan government in 2021, but they have expressed doubts about the Taliban's commitment to counterterrorism. Additionally, border clashes between the Taliban and Afghanistan's neighbours, including Pakistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan, have caused friction.

Despite these contacts, no country has officially recognized the new Taliban regime, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The country remains internationally unrecognized, and its membership in international organizations, such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, is currently in question.

Afghanistan's future relations with other countries remain uncertain, and the international community continues to assess how to engage with the Taliban-led government.

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