Taliban’s Rise to Power: A Result of US Inaction and Corrupt Elites
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Kabul, Afghanistan - As the dust settles on the collapse of the Afghan Republic, experts are pointing to the US government’s failure to address corruption and its reliance on money as a weapon in its efforts to stabilize the country.
The Failure to Address Corruption
In his 2014 testimony before the U.S. Senate, General John Allen warned that the Taliban was merely an annoyance compared to the scope and magnitude of corruption plaguing the Afghan government. However, despite this warning, US administrations and officials continued to focus on the Taliban at the expense of addressing the root causes of instability.
The Consequences of Inaction
The result is a landscape of corrupt elites and power centers, where money has been used as a weapon to buy loyalty and silence critics. The US failed to build robust institutions capable of upholding the rule of law, justice, and effective governance, leading to widespread disillusionment and mistrust among Afghans.
The February 2020 US-Taliban Deal: A Turning Point
The February 2020 US-Taliban deal marked the turning point, as it became clear that the US was willing to withdraw its support for the Afghan government in exchange for a commitment from the Taliban not to harbor international terrorist groups. The subsequent collapse of the government was swift and brutal, with Afghan elites and commanders scrambling to ally themselves with the victors.
Lessons Learned
The lessons learned from Afghanistan are starkly relevant to other conflicts, including Ukraine, where the US is providing billions of dollars in aid and arms. Ukrainian leaders must implement stringent oversight mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability, lest they fall prey to the same corrupting influence that has plagued Afghanistan.
“A failure to address corruption and build strong institutions can have disastrous consequences,” said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We must learn from this mistake and take a more nuanced approach in future conflicts.”
Conclusion
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As the Taliban celebrates its second anniversary of taking power, the international community is left to grapple with the consequences of US inaction and poor decision-making. The question remains: what can be done to prevent such failures in the future?