America defeated?

The 9/11 attack on the twin towers of World Trade Centre and Pentagon was followed by a so-called “war on terror” in Afghanistan.  In September 2001 the then president of the USA George W. Bush launched a war that continued in the tenure of Barrack Obama, Donald Trump. And finally, Joe Biden ended the longest war in September 2021 by withdrawing all the forces from Afghanistan.

The war proved much expensive not only for the American and NATO forces but also for the civilians and neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan. According to Brown University, The United States has spent $2.26 trillion in Afghanistan since 2001. Nearly 241, 000 people have lost their lives which include civilians, US NATO allies, national and military police, opposition fighters, journalists and media workers US contractors, humanitarian and workers, and US DOD civilians. In addition, hundreds of thousands more, mostly civilians, have died due to hunger, disease, and injury caused by the devastating war.

Here we take a look at America’s story from a superpower country to a default country:

Firstly, as the dust is settling things are getting clear that the Afghan war, like other wars that America fought, was its own made. It fuelled wars in different parts of the world including the war in Vietnam, Iraq, Korea, Libya, etc. The wars aimed at bringing peace to the world. But the results were the opposite. Wherever it went, it worked for its vested interests. The wars caused a million causalities, poverty, and underdevelopment in the regions. The situation in Afghanistan is crystal clear to this fact.

Secondly, America entered the land of Afghanistan to counter the Soviet Union and then the terrorists. But it had its eyes on the rich mineral resources of the Central Asian states. Afghanistan has rich untapped mineral resources worth $1 trillion. It has rare resources like copper, gold, oil, natural gas, uranium, coal, bauxite, iron ore, rare earths, lithium, chromium, lead, zinc, gemstones, talc, sulphur, travertine, gypsum, and marble. America looted and plundered these resources abundantly while leaving the country in the turmoil of guns and fires.

Thirdly, it used the land and people of different countries for its vested interests. the capitalist block led by America defeated Communist superpower USSR through Afghan Mujahidin. It divided it into many countries. Then it remained in Afghanistan in disguise of 9/11 attacks to halt regional powers like Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, and the Central Asian States. It also maintained its existence in the Indo-Pacific region to counter emerging superpower China. It allied with Japan, India, and Australia to achieve its goals. The recent AUKUS Pact signed between Australia, USA, and the UK is the chip the same block.

Fourthly, in these 20 years, only 3600 American and NATO soldiers have died out of 1,40,000. But alarming figures indicate that more than 30,177 soldiers have suicide as well. And thousands of soldiers suffering from mental illness are still admitted into the rehabilitation centers. These shocking numbers indicate the meaningless and purposeless struggle of the forces. Alienating soldiers from their families with no sign of their return has caused a huge loss to the families. They were fed up with the brutal form of oppression being carried out by them. America experienced its wrecked military, political and social system due to its heinous crimes.

Fifthly, it is a matter of great consideration thatAmerica is spending a huge amount of money on wars. It tries to instigate such factors which cause bloodshed. It has a resounding attention to those areas through which it can influence its opponents. For example, its alliance with Indo-Pacific region with India, Japan, Australia etc. demands huge money expenditure. It wants to curb the influence of China in South China Sea. In the same way, it lost most of its wealth in the wars pf Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam etc. It is also funding Jihadi personels against Iran's growing nuclear capacity. 

Sixthly, Taliban’s ascension to power in Kabul soon after the withdrawal of the forces has instigated a new debate on the international forum. Most of the thinkers claim it as a ‘defeat of America as a world superpower.” It looks quite strange that it took 20 years, trillion dollars, thousands of lives for America to replace a Taliban government with the Taliban government. Such a humiliating defeat exacerbates when America is under a heavy burden of $26.70 trillion national debt. Given its inability to pay its debts and foreign funding, it is going to be a default country soon. According to BBC, “The showdown has prompted fears of a default on the national debt.”

Seventhly, China is emerging as a world superpower now. America would not be able to halt it now as it lacks sufficient wealth and manpower. The soldiers have got tired after long wars of defeat. Then all of a sudden victory of the Taliban has shocked the CIA. It has once again proved its failure as an active and effective intelligence agency. Moreover, poor handling of the Covid-19 cost a thousand lives. The business plunged into losses. The economy is dwindling. All these factors have vanished the American dream.

The story of America in Afghanistan and rest of the world has proved that oppression cannot last for long. America’s miserable defeat is a lesson for the world that we cannot expand empires by the use of power. We must understand the requirements of the age. China’s trade-partnership model is more promising as far as global peace is concerned. It cannot work in absence of peace. The global think tanks must establish a peace-oriented model in the world. Otherwise, catastrophe would attend the doors of the citizens of the whole world.

-Muhammad Abrar

  Oct 11, 2021