Rodric Braithwaite

Afghanistan and the end of the American hegemony

A US solder holds the American flag during a handover ceremony in Afghanistan (Getty images)

We used to sneer at the way the Russians were chased out of Afghanistan by a ragtag of mujaheddin armed only with Kalashnikovs and American Stinger rockets. No longer. 

The last superpower to be defeated in Afghanistan withdrew in good order, having negotiated the arrangements with Kabul and the mujaheddin. They left behind a competent government, and an Afghan army capable of fighting the mujaheddin to a standstill. That government survived as long as the Russians went on supplying food and ammunition. Then the Russian government, close to meltdown, stopped deliveries. The mujaheddin swept to victory and fell straight into a bloody civil war. Many Afghans were relieved when the Taliban restored order.

Most of us understood that the Americans were bound to react violently to the destruction of the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001. But much of what followed was based on the false belief that Al Qaeda needed Afghanistan as a base. Not so. 

Responsible leaders do not go to war without very good reason

Al Qaeda have had plenty of other safe havens from which to operate. The way to deal with them is not by bombing civilians abroad, but by making sure we have effective police, intelligence services, and special forces at home. Of course, that won’t stop all terrorist attacks. But most terrorist incidents in America and Britain since 9/11 have been perpetrated by domestic fanatics. The Americans could have achieved their aims by smashing Al Qaeda, leaving Afghanistan promptly, and warning the Taliban that they’d be back if Al Qaeda returned.

Instead the doctrine of ‘liberal interventionism’ took hold, the idea that it was our duty to bring other people the benefits of freedom and democracy that we ourselves enjoy. But violence isn’t the answer. However sophisticated your technology, aerial bombardment kills civilians. You don’t win people’s hearts and minds by slaughtering their wives and children.

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