The Three Afghanistans

  The first Afghanistan is the cuckoo land view of its puppet President also called the mayor of Kabul. President Karzai sees democracy, development, a free society and an improving law and order situation. He also sees Afghan National Army and Afghan Police forces becoming effective with drugs, weapons and warlords being brought under control. Half heartedly he periodically asks the US/NATO forces to plan their departure and he makes largely ineffectual cosmetic gestures of cooperation with Pakistan. He is careful to do exactly what his masters want him to do because he has his eyes set on the August elections. Those who manipulate him could not ask for a better candidate. What Karzai sees is not seen by anyone else.

 

  The second Afghanistan is the view seen by the US through the cold objective eyes of General Petraeus, Robert Gates and the military commanders on the ground. They see an ‘unwinnable war’, rampant corruption with weapons and drugs moving freely, independent warlords, rural areas completely alienated from Kabul but actually the real center of power in a tribal society and a resurgent Taliban and Al Qaeda as evident from the most recent attacks on government buildings in Kabul. No one except Al Zawahiri is clear on what to do with the additional 30000 US troops due in Kabul. Al Zawahiri is reported to have said that ‘this is a gift from Allah and we thank him’. The Afghan National Army, the Police and the other government agencies are seen as ‘pathetic incompetent and corrupt’. The only explanation for failure is the “safe havens in Pakistan’s FATA’! Many in US think tanks make a living from analyses that tell the US what do and to whom.

 

  The third Afghanistan is the safe urban world inhabited by the street smart suited Afghans from New York who think they have all the answers on their computer screens. Doing and saying exactly what the US wants earns them brownie points. Cozying up to the Indians adds more points. Their main target is Pakistan and this delights their masters. They have not been to the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan where millions live. Surrounded by bodyguards and in smart suits they venture out to perform for western television crews in carefully orchestrated ‘operations’. These are the people held in contempt by the Afghan street because they ran like rats when Afghan women were being raped by foreign troops and stayed away when a civil war raged in Afghanistan—they returned on the backs of the US and NATO troops. They will disappear again once they have made enough from drugs and weapons. They have manipulated themselves into positions from where they can influence decisively---a tragedy for Afghanistan.

 

  Whose Afghanistan is the real Afghanistan? For this you have to venture out beyond the towns where the real Afghans live and die. They are not Al Qaeda. They are not Taleban. They are dignified people who want to make an honest living to ensure food and security for their families. They want health care. They want education. They want water and power. They are sick of the fighting and they are sick of the outsiders on their land. They are sick of drugs and warlords and of being terrorized into supporting those who bring violence. These are the people who can help destroy the insurgency---if the ‘other Afghans’ really want it to end. The conflict brings misery to them but it brings happiness to those who thrive because of it. The tragedy of Afghanistan is the suffering of these proud people and the heart rending sight of Afghan children scavenging in the garbage on the streets of Pakistan.