I am a journalist, but, this feels personal. Sometimes, the world demands we howl at the moon. Hearts screaming out to breach the distance of miles and trivial priorities. A cry seeking to engage in the night. Souls searching for light in blanketed, darkening skies.
Kabul has fallen. It is not the first time, it may not be the last.
August 19th is Independence Day in Afghanistan. What meaning will it have in two days for this nation and its people? Today, we are focused on the horror. Tomorrow, will we forget when our Amazon package arrives at the door? Generations of Afghans have been born and died under the sound of gunfire.
A country that has struggled for an independent identity after defeating the British in the Third British Afghan war in 1921. In 1934, the US officially recognized Afghanistan as an independent nation, creating the first official embassy in 1942. We gave it our blessing to exist. We gave it the blood of our children and a fragile promise of hope.
In 1973, Pro-Soviet General Mohammed Daoud Khan, leads the People’s Democratic Party into power aligning the country closely with the USSR. This did not sit well with us. We, as a country are forever haunted by the ghosts of McCarthyism.
Over the years, we have closed our embassy (1989) re-opened it (2002), and used the country as grey ground in an advertised, ideological battle against communism.
Despite varied political support platforms, reforms for human rights, education programs, and injections of foreign monies, Afghans have felt uncertainty in their independent status. In the 1978 coup, Nur Mohammed Taraki, one of the original founding members of the Afghan Communist Party, wrested control of the government and declared independence from the Soviet partnership. A bid again, for the mirage of independence and self-rule. A rivalry of ideologies boiled over. The new government aligned it’s policies with more Islamic principles, nationalism, and a home-branding of socio-economic justice.
Stressed, patched social agendas and agreements between conservative Islamic leaders, communist ideologies, and rapid social change finally broke. Revolt erupted across the country, alliances were drawn that divided the heart of the country. From this chaos, the Mujahadeen was born. A guerrilla movement seeking to free the country from a Soviet-backed government. Seeking, independence.
Afghans have been embroiled in a Western cross-fire of philosophies and their own, personal beliefs for over 100 years. Democracy. Islam. Communism. There is no space left for neutrality. On August 24th, 1979 the USSR invaded Afghanistan to allegedly support the faltering government.
By 1982, over 2.9 million Afghans have fled their homeland as fighting escalates between the Mujahedeen and Soviet troops. The US supported the Mujahadeen with weapons ferried across the Pakistani border. A promise of freedom. Of, independence. There is no safe space left. Women and children are left unprotected, abused on both sides. The UN investigates reporting on human rights violations. The battles rages on. Afghans against Afghans. A country and people shredded yet again by external interests.
The internal war of Afghanistan may have been, initially for the heart of the people. Maybe, it still is. However, countries rich in natural resources will always be gambits in the global, political chess game. Afghanistan is no exception. Fertile lands that grow almonds, apricots, and walnuts. Freshwater rivers snow-fed from the Pamir and Hindukush mountains. A land abundant with natural gas, uranium, coal, copper, chromite, zinc, sulfur and, lithium deposits. To name just a few, of the enticements for war.
Lithium may not be a rare earth mineral, but currently, it is a major element used for electric vehicles, laptops, and mobile phones. Common aspects of a modern world.
Afghans may be battling for the heart and soul of their country, but the outside world has different interests. Afghanistan’s cry for independence has become the historical blood arena for the philosophies and needs of outsiders.
Which begs the question, why shouldn’t US troops leave? Is it, as President Biden stated, an end America’s longest war? Are we bringing our own children home? A departure, finally, after 20 years of direct military involvement for the 911 attack that focused on Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban?
We, the US were fighting a “war on terrorism”. Operation Enduring Freedom. Laying the proverbial ground for freedom and justice, in our own godlike image. For, independence. We laid more than 2,500 American soldiers under burial flags and are currently caring for more than 20,500 returned wounded veterans. We lay claim to improving the literacy rate by 31.4% for those aged 15 and older. We gave books and pencils to children. To girls. We invested. We trained. We promised.
Yesterday, Kabul fell. American troops are struggling to defend the airport in a desperate attempt to give swarmed evacuation flights a chance to escape. We watched as helicopters and troops were sent in to save our embassy people. What fate have we created for those left behind?
Today, Afghan civilians are dying as they desperately seek to escape their own country. Again. Today, those who supported and broke bread with us, believed in us, spoke for us; those who have been loyal to us, have all been betrayed.
Kabul has fallen.
