LACK OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESPECT
The US soldiers that were part of the “Operation Enduring Freedom” entered Afghanistan as victors and as a good force that is bound to fight the evil forces of Taliban/Al Qaeda and liberate the oppressed Afghan people. Ten years on, an overwhelming majority of Afghans want the US forces out of their country with many of them consider the occupation forces as ‘terrorists’.
According to retired General Stanley McChrystal, the US began the war with a “frighteningly simplistic” view of Afghanistan and even now, after the lapse of 10 atrocious years, the military lacks sufficient local knowledge to bring the conflict to an end.
“We didn’t know enough and we still don’t know enough. Most of us, me included, had a very superficial understanding of the situation and history, and we had a frighteningly simplistic view of recent history, the last 50 years,” he told the Council on Foreign Relations, an independent think-tank based in New York.
An Afghan detainee sits in the entrance to a bunker while under guard by US Marines inside their base in Marjah, Helmand province. Photo - Mauricio Lima/AFP/Getty Images
“The United States of America is a friend to the Afghan people, and we are the friends of almost a billion worldwide who practice the Islamic faith.”
“The oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, we’ll also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan.”
Former US President George W Bush speech to the nation on 7 October, 2001
Trigger-happy behaviour is widespread among the US occupation forces and are known for their “shoot first, ask questions later” approach. Many Afghans, especially the rural folk, are shot on mere suspicion. In many cases, the suspect would be either going to or coming from work or tending his fields.
The most serious of all the violations of the US military is their complete disregard for the dignity and privacy of the Afghan people. The behavior of the US occupation forces is reminiscent of the European colonialists of the “New World” era who invaded and occupied the lands of Native Americans, destroyed their settlements, killed their men and captured their women, children and cattle.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have recorded and reported numerous incidents of theft and sexual misconduct committed by US troops in Afghan villages. American Soldiers entered homes without any prior notice and invaded the privacy and dignity of poor Afghans. Most incidents take place during night time when the villagers are asleep. The raiding parties blow up the entrances to peoples’ houses with explosives. After barging into the house, men and boys are dragged from their bed in full view of their children and wives, while women are made to stand in the open often without their headscarves, an act considered as utter humiliation in the Afghan society.
It is also part of the routine to carry sniffer dogs during raids on villages. The dogs, along with their handlers, ransack homes and sniff everything out. Copies of Holy Quran, a matter of pride and respect for Afghans, are manhandled by the US troops who often throw it on the ground or let the dogs come in contact with it. For deeply religious Afghan people, the sanctity of Quran and other Islamic symbols is more valuable than their own lives and are willing to sacrifice it in the event of any violation.
Among several other failures to understand the culture and traditions of their subjects, the complete lack of Afghan culture is the most unforgiving mistake committed by the American occupation forces.
The blatant disregard and complete ignorance of the fact that Afghanistan comprises of a tribal structure and the tribes are united in matters of self-defense. When a member of a tribe or sub-tribe is killed, the killer is not only the enemy of the family whose member has been killed, but also the enemy of the entire tribe.
While heavily relying on superior firepower and out of sheer arrogance, the US occupation forces turned tribes, sub-tribes and villages against them by slaughtering thousands of innocent people and suspected insurgents. Instead of apologising and making amends, American troops also killed, injured or abused tribal elders who sought explanation from the occupation authorities. In many cases, entire villages were flattened by aerial bombardment.
The US occupation forces operating in Pashtun-dominated areas of southeastern and southern Afghanistan flagrantly disrespected the main tenet of the Pashtun people – Pashtunwali, the Pashtun code of honour and justice. Under this tenet, a Pashtun father, brother, son and tribesmen have to avenge the death of their relative killed unlawfully. So deep is the attachment to this code that descendants inherit revenge from their family members and are urged to never forget or forgive the murderers.
16:54
It was comprehensive and detailed feature, thanks dear Moin.
The bitter facts about this war that were said in this feature was a fact that is ignored with men who make a bridge of dead bodies of innocent Afghan people that their pockets always be full of dollars.
The Middle East is a region that the flavor of its oil absorbs the capitalist who for filling their accounts ignore the human rights. In fact in my opinion they wanted to have a first step in this area so 9/11 was the best reason for entering to the region and then other countries.
The weapons that they used on head of poor people were really terrible. Imagining that how each of them destroyed the lives of Afghan children and disappear the smile of their parents is a bitter fact that American, the invaders ignored and ignore because of their dirty aims.
Thanks again for informative features …
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19:05
The U.S. is neither the first nor the last to lose the war in Afghanistan!!
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19:07
perpetual war is the goal
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19:09
its no wonder that the US has shunned the UN process. refusing to be accountable to the world, but holding jurisdiction over it all. yes, a very calm and exact article.
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19:11
The picture on page 3 is shocking. I know we are the choir, but the article is something to share.
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20:14
I have a reason right here. Where are you Moign Khawaja? I lost sight of the link where we were talking – http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov/
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19:18
from the point of view of the ones staging the drama… loss of lives dont matter. the number of humans ARE the only capital in today’s world. the only disposable resource.
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19:19
very very interesting and important articl, thank u so much brother Moign Khawaja
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19:21
I better not say anything…
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20:18
no one truly ‘wins’ a war….
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20:21
I disagree that it’s even a war. Just an occupation of a portion of a country (forever) so that a gas pipeline can cross through. The problem is – that there needs to be supply-routes and these are getting attacked a lot by the Taliban.
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20:23
classical definitions seem to have been thrown away Hoz
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20:25
good article overall
but just one point, on page 3, about civilian casualties, while I agree with the points u made, I find it didnt tie in properly with the title: WHY the US is losing
other than that
good
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20:27
Nice one Moign!
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20:31
right. Colonial wars for resources and plunder, then they ask “why do they hate us
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21:06
good one moign! would wait for the next issue. what appears to me as the most basic few points are a) lack of idea about local culture; b) lack of idea about local terrain; n c) lack of resources to ‘defeat’ the taiban. we all know that they were scattered (retreated to their stronghold in pakistan to regroup) but were not defeated. another thought occurs to me… u can read about it when u read the sample chaps that i’d sent to you; that is…. this is one huge staged drama.
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21:09
Well….. I really don’t “like” this, but I’m glad you posted it! Thanks Moign.
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21:10
its the poppy fields..our so called government is in the drug business..
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08:05
I guess there aren’t any winners in any war.
Susan
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15:37
hello there and thanks for your info. I have certainly picked up something new from here.
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