Western hypocrisy over Afghanistan should be rejected

THE US was defeated and humiliated in Afghanistan. The hypocritical and self-righteous Western corporate media is in overdrive hysteria against Sharia Law and the Taliban takeover of Kabul and Afghanistan.

Those who argue that history is cyclical must feel validated at this moment as the chaos in Kabul – resulting from fleeing foreigners and their collaborators – was almost identical to the chaos in Saigon (later Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975.

It is important, then, that we insist on this depiction, that of defeat, not tactical withdrawal, for the latter will still allow the spin doctors to sustain the illusion that military intervention, regime change and so on remains an option in the hands of Washington.

The former, however, help us truly appreciate this incredible moment in modern human history: all the resources of the US empire (over $2 trillion and 600 000 soldiers) could not defeat an isolated, poor and devastated nation.

This realisation should give hope to anyone who is fighting for freedom everywhere.

This is not to suggest that the Taliban is good – or bad; this is a judgement that is left and should have always been left, to the people of Afghanistan, not the likes of George W Bush, Cheney, Obama, Trump or Biden.

Hating a people, disapproving of their culture and rejecting their way of life, for any reason whatsoever, is, in itself, not a moral justification for war. True, we have every right to make moral judgements about others, but no right to designate ourselves as judges and executioners, as the US has.

Of course, for the US government, the war in Afghanistan was never a moral question, to begin with; it was never about the rights of Afghans, their women or their culture; it was a misguided geostrategic adventure to serve the interests of a dwindling empire. The people of Afghanistan defeated this empire and hastened its defeat globally as well; the same way the people of Vietnam liberated their country from US invaders five decades ago. While we remain morally obliged to stand up for justice in Afghanistan – or anywhere else – regardless of who rules that country, we have to distinguish between genuine and self-serving solidarity.

Anyone who supported, directly or otherwise, the US-Nato invasion and occupation of Afghanistan has not earned the right to speak about democracy, inclusion and human rights.

“Counting the Cost”: moderate estimations point to the fact that 141 000 Afghans were killed as a direct result of the US-led war – the number does not include the numerous others who perished as a result of starvation and disease resulting from that war.

One cannot support a genocide that killed numerous civilians, half of whom are women, and claim to care about women’s right to education, for example. This Western hypocrisy, which has afflicted the discourse on Afghanistan for far too long should be entirely rejected.

SAMAOEN OSMAN | Crawford