The return of the Taliban: 3 winners, 2 Losers and 1 warning – by Caleb Onyeabor

Newsie Events Media: #OPINION

The return of the Taliban marked by the fall of Kabul to the militant forces has generated seething reactions in the global space. This is coming after the withdrawal of US forces 20 years since they invaded and occupied Afghanistan in what was described as a mission of cleaning up Afghanistan of the terrorist safe haven it has become in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

The US chased the Taliban group out of power in Afghanistan and began a short-lived democratic experiment and governance capacity building that has outrightly failed in a somewhat embarrassing manner since the Taliban launched a comeback campaign.

In the event of the end of the 20 years American occupation in Afghanistan, there are 3 winners, 2 losers and 1 Warning. Let’s start with the winners:

☆3 Winners

1. War Racketeers

While spectators around the world are quick to point to the return of the same Taliban chased out in 2001 as reason why this adventure is a failed one, they may be ignorant of the economic reasons why the war was fought in the first place.
War is a racket and had always been. The US led invasion of Afghanistan is as every other war, instigated by a strong network of war racketeers who make enormous profits in the course of the execution of these wars. The military industrial complex has been notorious for sponsoring wars for profit. Politicians, powerful arms merchants, government contractors and even local connivers make up this network of racketeers. About $2 trillion dollars is said to have been spent in the last 20 years. The writers of this Afghanistan script, their allies and all who have played a role in the execution of this war including top military commanders and office holders have made a whole lot of profit. To you, it’s a failed project. To them, it’s been an investment with huge returns. While we are still debating Afghanistan in the last 20 years, the war racketeers are plotting their next moves. Afghanistan has been such a good business.

2. Taxpayers in NATO Countries

The funding of this war in Afghanistan has come from the taxes paid by citizens of countries in NATO especially the US, who have been vocal about the irresponsibility of using taxpayer’s money to prosecute needless war. With the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, taxpayers money can be channeled into other critical areas of national and international development. but would they ?

3. Afghanistan’s Conservatives

The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban will mean a return to Islamic laws and rules much favored by a large percentage of Afghans who wish to return to Islamic rule. This will mean an end to alien western values and cultures which they have been intolerant to since the last 20 years. It is important to note that the Taliban wouldn’t have returned so easily without massive local cooperation even from within the Afghan government. A US withdrawal victory of the Taliban over a US instated government means they get a chance to return to be ruled their way – according to their culture and values. This is a win for them

☆2 Losers

1. The United States

Much of the global condemnation that has followed the fall of Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban have been directed to the United States. The events in Afghanistan has come with lot of embarrassment for the United States as comparison has been drawn to a similar event in Saigon in the 1970s. Following the footsteps of Alexander the great and USSR, the failed experiment in Afghanistan makes the United States the latest country in the graveyard of empires that has failed to subjugate Afghanistan. Like Vietnam and Iran, this is another dent on the image of the United States which has left agents of the two dominant parties in America to howl blames at each other. This event further undermines the credibility of the US as an international partner and rubbishes the global democratization mandate. The US influence in the middle East has been severely hit and more than ever, resistance to American expansionism and occupationism is going to be stiffer in the coming years. This is another huge step in the decline of a global hegemon.

2. Liberals in Afghanistan

As much as there are Conservatives who wish to be under a total Islamic states and be subjected to the dictates of Sharia laws, there are a vast number of Afghans opposed to such value system whose dreams have been shattered. This is evident in the scenes of Afghans wanting to flee the city in the wake of the Taliban victory. The women whose rights would be restricted and the young persons who had wished to live in a free Afghan society modeled after western civilization are worst hit. Most of whom will become refugees in the coming days and flee the looming persecution that comes with the draconian execution of the Taliban’s Sharia laws.

☆1 Warning

The goals of the Taliban is the same with the goals of Bokoharam. It is the same with the goals of ISIL and ISIS as well as Al-shabaab in Kenya and Somalia. The Taliban’s victory is a victory for the international network of Islamic terrorist groups seeking to forcefully introduce Islamic states in their area of activity. Prior to US led invasion in 2001, Afghanistan was a breeding ground and safe haven for terrorists. The Taliban who run the country then are the same group who will run the country now. It is more likely than not for the country to resume it’s support for the global Islamic terrorist network albeit in a better way than it did 20 years ago. Terrorists groups around the world has been handed a moral booster and motivation to keep up with their dreams of establishing Islamic states completely under Sharia laws. Nations like India that shares border with Afghanistan has to be on the alert. Europe and America has to keep their eyes open in anticipation of a version 9/11 version 2 or an even more devastating events. Africa is the most endangered. Global terrorist groups have been handed a boost and such the war against global terrorism should be handed a boost to meet up. Nations should review their anti-terrorism strategies and be on the alert. Radical religious extremists are not backing down. Religious expansionism and terrorism is not ending any time soon. The nations that realizes that they have to brace up to this existential threats are the only ones that will survive the coming years.

Caleb Onyeabor writes from Enugu.

Twitter: @Caleb_Onyeabor

Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of NEWSIEEVENTS.

NEWSIE EVENTS MEDIA TEAM Follow Us On Twitter: @NewsieEvents, Instagram: newsieevents, Facebook: Newsie Events (Subscribe to our YouTube Page: Newsie Eventsng.