"AFGHANISTAN IS EASY TO MARCH INTO, HEAVY TO MARCH OUT OFF."
-Alexander the Great.
AFGHANISTAN, literal meaning being-'Land Of Afghans', is surrounded by Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan and Tajikistan. It's one of the most craggy locations in the globe. It's written history dates back to 500 BCE, and people inhabited it around 3500 years ago.
Afghanistan is and has always been a strategically relevant spot throughout the past. Therefore it's even known as "ASIAN Roundabout". Pashtun and Iranian both dialects were developed by Afghanis. The place contemporarily is colonized by - Uzbeks, Turkmen, Pashtuns, Aimak, Pamiris, Tajiks, etc. It's often debated that Afghanistan was never captured prior to that of Islamist group Taliban, but the reality is far away, it's hidden. Gandhara, Kamboj, Medes, Achaemenid kingdoms ruled its throne for years, Alexander and Selucids defeated Darius 3 of Persian Empire, in the legendary "battle of GAUGAMELA". Indian rulers like - Babur, Mauryans, Maharaja Ranjit Pratap, etc. occupied this nation, even Durranis ruled here to establish amicable relations with the Russian Empire. Zoroastrianism heavily dominated this sphere; the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological complex became prominent between 2200-1700BCE. The city of Balk or Kabul was founded about this era.
ATTEMPTS TO APPREHEND:
Afghanistan was once said 'Graveyard of empires' because it humiliatingly defeated its enemies. No superpower seized it. The Britishers tried to enter here in the 19th c but astrayed at large scale. In the 20th c and 21st c Soviet Union and U.S.A. tried it's best but failed with ample amount of embarrassment, they returned in shame. It's hoped that Afghans' make it really difficult for invaders in colonising their motherland.
WHY DID THE HEGEMONIC COUNTRIES TRIED OCCUPYING AFGHANISTAN ?
Source: Unsplash (The Tussel between Soviet Union and America)
The simple answer to this question was-
- To outspread their powers,
- To teach the indigenous people basic manners of livelihood,
- To ensure suzerainty among other nations.
- For resources, etc.
Amanullah Khan was chosen the king of Afghans' he made it a constitutional monarchy in 1982 . He was a progressive man, he depicted an example by marrying just a single woman throughout his life to curb polygamy. His wife Queen Soraya Tarji, they both ushered new reformations for instance-education of girls, worked for equal rights of women, right to take divorce, etc. In Fact, while delivering a public speech the queen turned her Burqa, hijab saying nothing like this - covering the body for women is been mentioned in Quran. Soon after this the extremists of Afghanistan took swords, they mentioned it's attack on their culture.
There were 2 outrageous wars - 1. Alizai, 2. Khost, king, won in both of them but in the third war they lost, fled and settled in Rome.
After this Zahir Shah became the new king he ruled for 4 long decades and meanwhile India got bifurcated between Pakistan - India, Afghanistan wanted more areas from Pakistan, reason being majority of Pashtuns around 38% were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, Daoud Khan, the P.M. of shah supported this at larger pace. Due to this demand, Pakistan closed its border and curtailed its trading relations from Afghanistan. An election was conducted in Afghans' soon after this, around this era there were 2 ideologies seen -
- COMMUNIST IDEOLOGY OR PDPA,
- ISLAMIST IDEOLOGY.
In a bloodless coup, Khan declared himself as 'President of the Republic Of Afghans'.
During the cold war, Afghans' became again the conflict point between The states and Soviet Union. But in spite of 'IRON CURTAINS' Afghanistan remained loyal to N.A.M. Khan initially took help from the Union for its development but it wanted more liberalism so therefore, he shifted towards the U.S and Indian help more. The then Soviet leader Mr. Brezhnev showered his anger, but Khan didn't take it seriously. With time PDPA was divided into 2 fractions -
- Khalq
- Parcham.
Ambitious Khan wanted himself to rule unquestionably but liberals assassinated him, this is what is called 'SAUR REVOLUTION'.
A new leader was elected democratically but even he was thrown out by the extremists, as he supported and wanted a shift towards communism.
Soviet Union got a tricky chance to invade, and led a war against MUJAHIDEENS, on the other hand America chooses to enter secretly and fund these groups, the group was called - "HIJBUL MUJAHIDEENS".
GENEVA ACCORD - 1988:
Source: Unsplash
In 1988, GENEVA ACCORD was signed between Pakistan-Afghanistan, in front of both the then superpowers - America and Union.
The U.S. promised to stop arms supply once Russia takes back its army. After a long span of 9 years Russia steps backward and leaves the nation. Even after this in 1990 when Najibullah wins the election and peace is seen U.S. still supplies the arms, civil war continues and Mujaheddins take over Elected government but in 1996 TALIBAN ENTERS IN THE PICTURE AND REMOVES RABANI, THE LEADER OF THE NATION AND MEMBER OF MUJAHEEDINS, SAYING THEY DIDN'T WORK WELL.
TALIBAN, the word in Pashtun means - Students. Omar was the leader of this group it included 50 students and slowly people from Pakistan joined this group as well. They got heavy support from U.A.E., America etc . U.S. is often said -"The ABCs of Jihad".
In September 1996, for the very first time Taliban is seen to enter and then rules Kabul entirely. The Taliban creates huge atrocities upon the masses. It became almost impossible for the women to survive peacefully, they were banned - football, chess, music, cinemas, VCR, NGOs, photography, females had no right to complain, ethnic cleansing began, the famous Buddha statue was no longer as it was.
Every nation started criticizing them except - Pakistan, Saudi.
THE AMERICAN TACTICS AND 2021 TALIBAN COLONISATION:
Osama bin Laden from the terrorist group Al- Qaeda on 9/11 attacked the World Trade Centre. He was harboured by none other than Taliban’s, he wrote a letter to the American President saying - this attack was crucial to stop the Americans from torturing Muslims. In retaliation, America enters Kabul and bombards it, in Pakistan Osama is killed. After this American army didn't leave but tried to destroy the Taliban, but it still grew locally.
IN 2020, DONALD TRUMP, THE PRESIDENT OF AMERICA TOOK A PEACE TALK WITH TALIBAN, AND MENTIONED THAT THEY WILL LEAVE THE NATION IF PEACE IS RESTORED, AROUND $2 TRILLION WAS SPENT BY THE STATES IN THIS HUSTLE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE ALL ANGERED BY THIS.
In the present time, Joe Biden in an interview said -" he does not trust Taliban, but the Afghans Forces, he further added that 3 lakh Afghani soldiers can easily wipe out 85k Taliban, but because of psychological warfare, and America when step back, no confidence was seen in the Afghan army, It's president Mr. Ghani flew and said he wanted to avoid bloodshed , and therefore on 15th August Afghanistan lost and fell completely in the hands of Terrorist group.
The point to be noted here is - all the embassies left this nation except - China, Pakistan, Russia.
EFFECTS OF THIS COLONISATION:
🡺 Source:
Unsplash, (Transformation of Women after the entry of Taliban troops)
Although Taliban promised to rule peacefully but the evidences doesn't depict the same for instance -
- Condition of women went on to become worse, they have fear for their future and lives, and the Taliban treat females like dogs.
- Men are being forced to join this illegal government.
- Assassination of government officials.
- Kids are being tortured.
- They are marrying forcibly Afghni girls under 12 years of age and the list adds on.
- Human Rights will be stake.
- Freedom of expression, association and assembly will be curved gradually.
- Increment for internally displaced people
- Upon evacuation hundreds of people lost their life, house and a famous footballer of national level from Afghanistan fell of from the plane and died instantly.
- In future Taliban will make huge one-sided social and political changes.
- Ethnic minorities fear a repeat of past incidents
- Polygamy too much and rape culture.
This is a great defeat for the US. After Vietnam, this will be a huge lesson for them. Hopefully, it was shameful, humiliatingly worse for such a huge nation to face this global harm.
INDIA'S CALL AND TENSIONS:
India’s relation with Afghanistan dates back to Indus valley civilization. During the Mahabharata’s regime Gandhari belonged from Kandhare, this is present day Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan shares a friendship Dam, there are many Indian Embassies and consulates in Afghanistan. The Indian Army's Border Roads Organization constructed a major road in 2009 in the remote Afghan province of Nimroz, connecting Delaram to Zaranj. This has proved a viable alternative route for the duty-free movement of goods through the Chabahar port in Iran to Afghanistan. Key to India's strategy in Afghanistan is to build up transportation links that bypass Pakistan, helping reduce the Afghan economy's dependence on Pakistan.
There lies some big questions regarding Indian stand on this international crisis -
- Should India help the complete evacuation?
- How will India manage to get back the 3 billion $ it spent on Afghanistan ?
- Ain't there chances of terrorism growth in India as well?
- Can India expect a control of Taliban in future?
- What about India - E-Islamic Emirates relationship? (Taliban will name Afghans' as Islamic Emirates!).
Situation in Afghanistan is of 'great concern', inclusive dispensation would help in gaining legitimacy, says India at UNSCS
CONCLUSION:
" ALL OF THEM, TOGETHER MAKING US FOOL FOR POWER, THEY ARE GREEDY! " unquote.
In the end it's people who suffer. It's land that suffers. It's the entire world that suffers, because of some nasty, cruel people, THERE LIES UNITY IN DIVERSITY"
Every country has enormous ethnic issues, that doesn't mean one will try to overpower the other, Unity is the strength of a nation, and the government should be keen enough to settle and hear the disputes. The amount of money nearly - $ 6.4 trillion was spent in all this, if this money was used in the nation's progress every individual would have been secured, people wouldn't have to lose their loved ones, hopefully humanity is alive and someday justice will be served.
. . .
REFERENCES
- Crossette, Barbara (7 March 1989). "India to Provide Aid to Government in Afghanistan". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2008.
- Express News Service (31 May 2017). "Kabul blast: 80 killed, at least 350 injured after huge explosion in diplomatic area". Kabul, Afghanistan. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
- Book - Travels into Bokhara.
- Afghanistan troubled war.