Following the Palestine conflict in the 20th century, the imposed war of Afghanistan is considered the longest and deadliest. WWI lasted for four years, WWII lasted for six years, the Eritrean War of Independence for 30 years, Namibian War of Independence for 29 years, Vietnam War for 18 years, Algeria War of Independence lasted for 8 years; however, it almost 40 years that Afghanistan suffers from conflicts and unrests.
Nevertheless, efforts have been made from the very 1980s in order for the Afghan conflict to become resolved, but any remarkable result is yet to be achieved. Although Afghans are tired of war, peace is their highest hope and need, and yet they know that the imposed war is neither theirs nor has any national, religious, or political legitimacy; however, they still, based on their experiences, are skeptical about the on-going peace efforts.
Weak governance, lack of understanding among Afghan elite concerning national affairs, politically and socially crooked nation, conflict of interest of regional and international war players, and rivalry of regional powers are the factors behind prolongation of war and tentativeness of the peace process.
Beginning and Escalation of War
The factors behind the current wars in the world are national interests. Religion, ideology, human rights, democracy, Islamic brotherhood, and others are the slogans used for legitimating wars, where the consumers are mostly back-warded nations.
The invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union ensued a war with national and international dimensions on the people of Afghanistan. At the outset, the war started with limited primary tools in Kunar, Nooristan, and Khost provinces and, then, expanded as resources were increasing and new regional and international players were entering the game. The war was national at the very beginning because the national sovereignty of Afghans had become under attack, and thus, their resources of resistance were domestic too. The war became international because its foreign dimensions extended, and most of the world’s small and big powers became engaged in the war in some ways.
Afghans are the main victims of the war; however, the key objectives, plans, resources, and goal-setters are non-Afghans that are used for their contradictory interests in Afghanistan and the region. Therefore, we can say that the war has not got a national form, and its foreign aspect is way powerful. There are two (internal and external) factors behind the prolongation and extension of war.
Political Stability and National Consensus
The strategic location of Afghanistan, the number of players, incongruous interests, and objectives of regional and global powers results in the continuation of the war. Internal problems have paved the way for foreign intervention at different times, i.e. efforts for political and economic monopolization, lack understating among elite class of the society on national matters, a weak economy, injustice, corruption, anarchy, drug mafia, and weak governance. These factors, later, have manifested in the form of Taliban group, Haqqani network, and local warlords.
Taliban want to take the whole or a large portion of power where they shall be a decisive power and others will just have an apparent presence. Warlords not only want to preserve their political power and privileges, but they also try to institutionalize them. Drug lords and contract mafia see their benefit in a weak government, insecurity, corruption , and war; and thus, they do not want the peace to be achieved, and even hinder it.
Another factor that weakens and destabilizes the state is poor political structures of the government, parliament, political parties, and civil service agencies that make the employees to distrust the perpetuity of their work.
For the triumph of a democratic republic system, a parliament comprised of political parties and organized in different sectoral groups is needed. This kind of parliament shall act based on the national interests, and shall not consider political and ideological differences, when it comes to the working agenda setting and preparation and approval of enactments. If there is a lack of professional capacity in the parliament, the gap shall be filled with professional capacities from the outside. Unfortunately, we have not been able to have such a parliament in the last twenty years. The government did not want to ratify and endorse an up-to-date Law on Political Parties in order for the parties to be a soul for the political stability and national unity and prevent political instability from one hand; and from the other hand, for them to be a reliable work source and a force to defend national interests. Our current parliament largely comprised of individuals that are unprofessional and seek their personal interests in political programs and agendas has got no use for the government and nation without being a tumult, loss of finical resources, and harm to the prestige of the country.
Lack of promoting political parties based on the needs of the time as well as democracy, not only does not contribute in political stability, but it also prevents the progression of democracy, turns elections into crises and hinder the development in government affairs that are based on a specific working plan and program. Despite we elect the leadership of the government through elections; however, as we witnessed, only the 2004 Elections were not contentious. Nevertheless, for the past two Presidential Elections, our governments were not an output of elections but they were rather the output of a political arrangement. The government positions became divided based on the percentage and importance of positions, not based on a 5-year working plan and responsibility, between the rival teams as a result of a deal between both parties. The situation affects the government to stand in every national process like peace. From one hand, it lessens public confidence on the government, prevents arrangement of the people in modern political institutions; and from other hand, it weakens Afghanistan against the domestic oppositions, regional enemies and interventionist countries at all in a way that disables it to defend its legitimate rights and interests.
Likewise, differentiation between political personnel and civil servants is required for the success of every political system.
Change in political personnel because of public power transfer is a natural behavior; however, the civil servants shall promote from down to up in a gradual manner, and every employee shall have employment security. Ideology, personal and political inclination, style, or political bribery shall not be the standard to transfer, recruitment, promotion, and dismissal of state employees. Of course, privileges against hard work and punishment against delinquency in the framework of law is required administrative behavior.
Hence, professional and powerful governmental and non-governmental institutions, which shall be loyal to the system instead of individuals, become established. Consequently, this job makes the people have confidence in their government, paves the way for rule of law, empowers patriotism in the nation, and overall, makes the government achieve the force to defend itself and national interests against internal opposition and foreign interventions. Yet, we faced big problems in this area as well; and as long as reforms are not applied, the government shall not postulate the loyalty of individuals.
Regional Players and Conflict of Interests
On external level, Pakistan is not the only but the biggest player in Afghanistan war. Afghans and largely the world considers Pakistan as a colossal hinder against peace because the shelters and training centers of the anti-government armed opposition is located in that country, and the opposition is sponsored by its military and intelligence organs for the purpose of realization of their strategic goals. From the very establishment, Pakistan has a strategy to destabilize and insecure Afghanistan, and thus, follows this goal of it through different means.
In 1950, some youth including Burhanuddin Rabbani were sent to Egypt to receive religious higher education there. At that time, Pakistani intelligence was keen on how to organize these youth and use them for their interests, according to French researcher, Olivier Roy. Abul A'la Maududi, was a source of inspiration for Afghan Ikhwanis (Muslim Brotherhood) besides Sayed Qutb, who had a great role in organizing Afghan Ikhwanis. As Olivier Roy says, Qazi Hussian Ahmad had secretly visited Kabul several times and had held meetings with youth in Paghman valley of Kabul in order to have them organized. Due to these efforts, a pro-Pakistani extremist organization under the name of Sazman-e Jawanan-e Musalman (Muslim Youth) became established. The organization was harshly criticizing the stand of the Afghan government against Pakistan. Contrary to other political powers, the Muslim Youth demonstrated in favor of Pakistan in its war against Bangladesh. Campaign of Soviet Union on Afghanistan was an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to create a brainwashed force of Afghan young refugees, because of cooperation of these Ikhwanis and the facilities of the Western World and Arabs, where its name changes once a few years and are solely is used to have Afghanistan weakened.
Pakistan pursues political, military and economic objectives in Afghanistan, and with the indirect occupation of Afghanistan, wants to turn into an important regional power and become able to compete with India. To achieve this goal, Pakistan prefers to see a rather puppet government in Kabul in order to be able to utilize the geography, human force, water, and natural resources of Afghanistan, and to have access to the market of Central Asia.
Contrary to Pakistan, its rival India has good historical relations with Afghanistan, and it has made huge investments in Afghanistan infrastructure projects. India grants one thousand scholarships for Afghanistan every years, which naturally contributes in expansion of existing good relations. India, on one hand, wants to expands its trade and other economic ties with Afghanistan through Chabahar Port of Iran; and from the other hand, it wants to have access to Central Asia and the Russia market. Therefore, it has made an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in the previously mentioned port. India has made the Zarang-Dilaram road in order to achieve two objectives; one, to connect the port with big cities of Afghanistan, and Central Asia, and to turn Farah and Nimroz provinces of Afghanistan into important business destinations. Thus, development and deep changes have been seen in these provinces; so, Pakistan does not seem the conditions to be in its favor and consider them as the expansion of Indian influence.
Iran is another regional player that, from one hand, rear its historical enmity with Saudi Arabia in Afghanistan; and from the other hand, it follows its political, economic, and cultural objectives in the country. Our security forces, local officials and some members of the National Assembly points toward the Iran hand in destructive operations to prevent the work on the construction of infrastructure projects like Salma and Kamal Khan Dams. Meanwhile, international institutions, our governmental and non-governmental organizations have established reports on usage of Iranian weapons in the war as well as the provision of training to militants in Iran. However, the Afghan government is yet to accuse Iran officially.
The Iranian intervention is largely realized through economic and cultural invasion as well as to install its proponents in important governmental organs of Afghanistan. Likewise, Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf Countries are afraid of Iranian influence in Afghanistan; and so, support Pakistan in order to empower the Taliban in this game. Gulf countries have a large play in 1980s and, then, civil war of Afghanistan; however, Arab countries, except for the United Arab Emirates, did not contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and here is to blame the weak diplomacy of ours.
How to Reach a Reasonable Solution?
The war has prolonged and Afghans do not have the power to endure a permanent war in their soil. Our efforts have been fruitless because there is a large number of players of insecurity that follow conflicting objectives. Moreover, enough work is yet to be done for the national consensus and understanding inside the country. Our government, political parties, civil society, tribal councils, and media are responsible to, despite differences, take a united position for peace and guide the people against the internal and external enemies of peace. The government should achieve the support of people in the process of building mentality and confidence.
Afghanistan has got around 300 thousand soldiers that have a decisive role in peace and defense. Security forces and the National Directorate of Security (NDS) are at the forefront of the risk to protect the people, their property, and honor. They also shall have the right to express their thoughts in the peace talks. We cannot have a peaceful life without powerful intelligence, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in the region; therefore, this organ shall become empowered.
Given the players of insecurity, the efforts for peace shall be harmonized on a national, regional and international levels, and the focus shall not be concentrated only on Pakistan. Coordination with China and Saudi Arabia will be advantageous, but we shall make an effort to achieve cooperation of Western World, Russia, and Iran as well. Besides other regional countries, India’s role is also vital in the peace talks. Minimalizing India will be a huge mistake. India is a big economic and military power not only in the region but in the world; and it will never allow Pakistan to win this game.
Parallel to talks, target killing, small- and large-scale attacks in Kabul and provinces have once again proved that we cannot trust Pakistan commitments. Afghan shall try to have good ties with neighbors and does not allow to be used against any other country. We, however, can succeed in having good ties with neighbors if there is a national consensus existed about neighbors inside the country. We should balance the commitments and actions of our neighbors and act accordingly. Afghanistan needs to establish a defined permanent strategy co-existence with its neighbors, especially Pakistan. The strategy, from one hand, should allow Afghanistan to have good ties with the country; and from the other hand, lessen its economic and trade dependence on this country. In order to achieve this goal, Afghanistan shall deepen its political, trade, economic, and transit ties with Central Asian countries. Afghanistan needs to work for joint investment with its Northern neighbors in the industrial field. In the case, Afghanistan is encountered with powerful opponents in the road to peace; however, there is development in the region and Pakistan that pave the way for cooperation in the peace and economic arenas, but we can benefit these new developments for the sake of our peace and political stability only if we follow a defined policy.