Wednesday, July 17, 2013

I fear for the people of Afghanistan ---Sharia will rule!

For centuries foreign powers have meddled in Afghanistan; mainly for strategic reasons. Sure, they 'tart' up their motives under various guises but there is little doubt about their real intension--geo-political gain. The pain this has caused to the disparate people of Afghanistan has been huge. On the other hand, the hard sloggers, represented throughout history by working class western soldiers has also been high for the simple reason that no country has ever been able to conquer the warring tribes of Afghanistan. Three of the worlds greatest powers have tried and failed; in the UK's case--twice. Why then continue this useless misplaced strategy? It is inevitable that the Taliban will be back, within months of the finish of the latest 'intervention.' 2014 is when this country will be plunged back into mediaeval conditions and the main sufferers will be the women, girls and the poor.
New Zealand is a country that sent it's troops, mainly to help with 'reconstruction.' I wonder how many of their 'projects' will remain intact after the handover of power, first to the local government, then to the Taliban. We have lost the lives of about ten of our young people---for nothing. Even those who helped us, in the form of translators have had to leave Afghanistan because they will be targeted by the Taliban. They are of course very welcome in NZ.
Turning our back on Afghanistan is an extremely hard act, but what are the choices? Do we keep pouring (that mainly means young USA soldiers!) troops and resources into this opium-ridden country? Do we keep spending billions of dollars on a fight that is unwinnable? The only people who gain are the arms manufacturers and various other 'service providers.' Would not that money be better spent in the countries of origin, to reduce the unemployment and poverty of their own people?
There is one hard question that must be addressed. The position of Pakistan in this terrible problem is one that is shrouded in corruption and non-action. I know it is an extremely difficult balancing act for the above government, but it appears that the  lack of action has both fed and prolonged the quagmire that is the Afghanistan problem. The people of Pakistan suffer as well. Must it take countless actions like that Malala suffered to bring that proud nation to the realization that it must be part of the solution? Time will tell but history must inform!
www.authorneilcoleman.com

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