The US-Afghan relationship has entered a sensitive, quite frankly, a frustrating sage that is known to every stakeholder in the country’s post-Taliban period. The US soldiers are expected to leave Afghanistan after more than a decade of bloody and unconventional battle with a mysterious enemy that could target them from a house, mosque, training center and even inside a highly protected Afghan ministry. Sometimes, the enemy could be a friendly translator, a respected village head and a colleague from ANP and ANA.
Hundred of US soldiers never fulfilled their promises to celebrate Charismas with their families or walk out for a Thanksgiving party. They ended their military career in villages that they did not know the names of, nor did they imagine to be deployed there one day. This is difficult, but may be natural for the world’s finest army representing a nation built on promise to deliver justice to everyone and help them pursue prosperity and happiness.
The US’s military mission will end in Afghanistan soon. Those who fought will leave the country with untold memories that could be good or tragic as Afghans will continue to live with similar memories. But Staff Sergeant Robert Bales’ humiliating legacy is a different one.
He killed 16 innocent Afghans - many of them children - not in a battlefield but in their homes for which he was deployed to provide security. As quoted in media, he could have been angry for deployment or death of a friend before his eyes, but his victims were neither the decision-makers that sent him to Afghanistan nor the Taliban who killed his colleague.
With all demands for his trial in Afghanistan, Robert was transferred to the United States to face justice. Given the fact that a final court decision for him may take several months or even years, it is worth mentioning some of the legacies that he left for his fellow soldiers in the battlefield and Afghan people together.
He has left many families in permanent tragedy. Although President Obama, Defense and State Secretaries and General John Alan strongly condemned his decision, nothing can compensate the loss of life. The NATO, particularly US soldiers, will continue to remain the first and direct recipient of any reaction and revenge to Robert’s violence.
The Taliban and Al-Qaida will continue to appreciate him for providing conviction and mandate to their aimless Jihad. As demonstrated in the last years, Taliban have never expressed sympathy and care to innocent lives, but when it comes to the Holy Quran desecration and civilian causalities, they take the most advantage to promote and justify their horrific criminal activities.
On the other hand, the US and Afghanistan’s strategic partnership has entered the lowest point after this incident. In a meeting with families of the victims, President Karzai called on US soldiers to withdraw from Afghanistan’s villages and rural areas to their bases.
He said that the Taliban are an opposition to his government not an enemy to the United States and he himself will personally talk to them to either renounce the violence or fire him. The strong majority of Afghan population is still supporting the international mission in Afghanistan and recognizes the importance of human and capital sacrifices made to rebuild this country.
They are hoping that both countries will sign the much-talked strategic treaty to stop Al-Qaida and Taliban from returning. Unfortunately, the recent incidents have seriously diminished the popular hope for a long-term commitment. The public desperation increases especially when Afghan government adopts an extremely reactionary and abrupt position without considering the ground realities.
The current state-building mission is highly significant that should not be sacrificed for an individual decision or incident. Before making any important decisions, both Afghan and the US governments need to take into serious account that too much blood of both Afghan and US soldiers and civilians has been shed for this mission. Nothing but a clear success will compensate it.