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‘Using terrorism as a form of foreign policy’
KABUL, Afghanistan—The 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan dawned sunny and quiet in Kabul, the capital. Although several hundred Afghans turned out on Thursday to demonstrate against the continued U.S. presence here, Friday—a day of prayer for Muslims when most stores and businesses aren’t open—was largely unremarkable (except for a fender bender my driver managed to get out of with minimal damage, also an unremarkable event in Kabul). Even at the U.S. installation inside the city at Camp Eggers and at NATO headquarters nearby, there were no planned ceremonies to mark the anniversary. “We consider 9/11 the key date around here,” one officer at NATO headquarters told me.
But Shaida M. Abdali remembers 10 years ago well. He was one of three men who flew from Qandahar to Kabul with Hamid Karzai when he was installed as chairman of the interim government soon after the United States successfully ousted the Taliban. Today he is an assistant to the president and Karzai’s deputy national security advisor.
“How high the hopes everybody had,” he said today of that time 10 years ago, “but I would not be a pessimist here and say that we have lost hope. But we have not achieved what we have hoped for, and we did not think that it would take this long.” . . . MORE >>
back to top8 Comments to “‘Using terrorism as a form of foreign policy’”
It’s time to go. If we can’t build a nation in 10 years, it’s not going to happen. I remember posting when we first invaded that this culture counts among its population many of the most accomplished liars in the world. And, as the Russians found out, some of the most fearless and accomplished fighters.
We haven’t figured out how to deal with those realities yet.
And, oh yes, there’s rather different religion or is it ten or twenty of ‘em which are fiercely resistant to each other not to mention what it perceives as Christian or just Western aggression.
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No one has been able to conquer this land going back to Alexander the Great. That’s one of the reasons it’s been a group of tribes more than a functioning nation. I’m leaning in your direction, too, Arcadia though I wonder what is the most responsible thing to do with this conglomeration?
I read Stones for Schools earlier this year and found it fascinating as Greg Mortenson tried to wend his way through the wildest part of the country (or not, depending on your feelings about his veracity) trying to build schools. Fascinating, horrifying and disturbing.
But what is the answer?
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The most responsible thing for our people? Cut our losses, get out and keep them out of here. They are all corrupt.
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I agree with Arcadia! Wait, wha’?…
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Does he look like a mobster to you?
HEY! You wanna see hoodlums? We got hoodlums!
Our #1 is from Chicago.
Need I say more?!
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Great article! Very timely, Mr. Abdali and the Karzai administration have their hands full, but it is encouraging to hear clear “naming” of the real problems they face and continued optimism for the future. It remains a challenging situation but not without hope. Will we stand with them or cut and run?
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“Using terrorism as a form of foreign policy”
This same title could be applied to powerful, radical leftists in America. Jimmy Carter advocated the use of terrorism as a legitimate foreign policy on page 213 of his book Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid, wherein he advocated racist apartheid as the solution to the Middle East crisis.
The present terrorist-in-chief has set up a Star Chamber with members called Principals who have a kill-list of people around the world who will be assassinated by the United States. American citizens need the approval of Obama himself before they can be assassinated. Foreigners may be murdered only with approval from the Principals.
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And why wouldn’t US bombing of Iraq for 12 years be considered “using terrorism as a form of foreign policy?”
No, that’s not a rhetorical question. I’d genuinely like to know.
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