By Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan
The two long decades of war, the one trillion dollars we spent, the 150,000 troops deployed to subdue Afghanistan, the high-tech gadgets, artificial intelligence, cyberwarfare.
Reaper drones armed with Hellfire missiles and GBU-30 bombs, and the Global Hawk drones with high-resolution cameras, Special Operations Command composed of elite rangers, SEALs and air commandos, black sites, electronic surveillance, satellites, attack aircraft, mercenary armies, infusions of millions of dollars to buy off local elites and train an Afghan army of 350,000 that has never exhibited the will to fight, failed to defeat a guerrilla army of 75,000 that poorly equipped with light weapons only, barefooted, and deprived of all facilities in one of the poorest countries on earth – Afghanistan.
It was not only the United States of America, but it was NATO, an alliance of 46 developed countries. An additional 11 countries supporter of the Afghan invasion, that includes India and Israel. Altogether 57 countries were fighting against the Taliban, yet failed, and faced humiliating defeat.
In fact, it was not the war of show of war machines and advanced technology, it was a simple war between the son of soil and invaders. Of course, technology, weapons, money were with the US and allies, but time was with the Taliban.
Afghanistan has defeated Alexander the Great, the British Empire, Russian in the 1980s, and after defeating the US, it can be certified as “Grave Yard of Great Empires”. Hope it ends the trend of invading Afghanistan in the future. It also may end the era of superpowers invading any weak and poor country.
Afghans have set a benchmark, that how stronger and well equipped is the invader, victory is destined for the son of the soil.
The humiliation and defeat in Afghanistan may have lessons for Americans. They may conduct in-depth research and studies to evaluate the reasons for their defeat. Credibility has been shattered, leadership role was a matter of history, and today, the US seems even unable to manage its domestic issues.
I believe it is time for the whole world to devise a new world order, where every country, every nation, and every individual have protection. Protection from stronger, protection from bigger, protection from wealthier country and nation or individuals. The UN charter needs to be re-formulated with an effective mechanism of implementation. The current UN structure could not save Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc. It is time for general reforms, in the UN structure too.
Human life is the most precious thing in this universe, God has created all human beings through an identical process, no one is superior to any other. No one has more rights than any other. The World order is to be reformed in a manner to protect everyone on equal footings. Irrespective of color, race, religion, or ethnicity, all human beings are equal and need to be respected equally.
I believe everyone should learn a lesson from the victory of the Taliban against a superpower. It is appealed to all peace-loving nations and individuals. Collectively we may protect humanity. A united stance is to respect humanity and save human lives anywhere at any time, irrespective of nationality, race, religion.
Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan – Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.
(This is an opinion article. The views expressed belong only to the author and the publication of the article does not necessarily imply the endorsement of its content by World Geostrategic Insights).
Image credit: AFP