What will be the next episode of the drama being filmed in Afghanistan for decades? This is the question that every Afghan is voraciously waiting for the answer. As 2014, the international security troops' withdrawal schedule gets closer and closer; the panic increases and no one knows what will be on the screen to dance according the music of that. "We had largely achieved our goals in Afghanistan and now it is time to call our troops back home," the President Obama declared after the assassination of Osama bin Ladin in May, 02, 2012 in Pakistan.
What I believe he meant to say was, "We do not care whether Afghanistan will turn to the terrorists' base once again, we do not worry, if thousands of innocents will be killedand we do not mind if Afghanistan will reemerge to move back to the civil war. We have achieved our goals and now, it is time to say good bye to Afghanistan. These are what the leading characters of the drama of great game present for the people. To be more accurate and clear; these are what America is attempting to the countries such as Russia, Iran, China India and Pakistan believe."
It is as clear as crystal that the permanent army base of the United States in Afghanistan will face another decade of rivalries which would cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives to be sacrificed. The drama of great game being played in Afghanistan began in 1979, since the Soviet invasion in this small region. In order to throw out the Soviet Union from Afghanistan, America spent millions of dollars supporting Mujahidins, the Islamic fighters to overpower the Soviet Union. Mujahidin, succeeded to defeat Soviet troops in 1989. The challenges did not end there;it took three more decades for America to invest in Afghanistansupporting Mujahidin and warlords to fight each other in order to pave the wayfor its troops to be welcomed warmly by Afghans.
Three decades of civil war and the Taliban era since 1996 to 2001 lined the way for America to be welcomed by Afghan civilians. America with the support of ethnic minorities in Afghanistan succeeded to overcome the Taliban regime two months after the collision of World Trade Center in September, 11, 2001. Since then, the scenario altered. America no more supported the Islamic fundamentalists instead he appeared on the screen of starting a war against terrorism. The justification of America for the international community was war against terrorism, human right protection and securing the world free of terrorism threats.
America paid a huge amount of cost for a face to face decade of war against the terrorist in Afghanistan. According to the declaration of President Obama, the mission in Afghanistan is accomplished and the international troops will withdraw Afghanistan by the end of 2014.But considering the current affairs in the region where Taliban are getting more powerful day by day and Al-Qaeda is looking forward to reemerge with Taliban.
The warlords by the help of the neighboring countries and America's opponents are getting prepared for another decades of civil war and put question marks on America's warstrategies against terrorism. In addition, millions of dollars have been spent forarranging result-less peacenegotiation jirgas with Taliban in the region is another red light on the scene of the great game.
On the other hand, the peace enemies in Afghanistan have been trying to reenergize the era of civil war through different channels such as every year Kochi attacks in Behsood which result to forfeit thousands of lives and millions of properties. Publication of books such the Atlas of Ethnography of Non-Pasthun Ethnic Groups by the Academy of Science in which they have abused the cultural, political and behavioral values of particular ethnic groups; such as Hazaras in Afghanistan are all thesinge of refueling the ethnic clashes by the end of 2014.
America and Afghanistan have been profiting the international community's support for the last ten years, but the upcoming era after 2014 will be different. The international aids will be limited and the two partners are supposed to deal the challenges alone. In addition, the neighboring countries such as Russia, Iran, China, India and Pakistan whose influences are considerable on Afghanistan's futurewillnever tolerate the presence of America in the region. In fact, the post-2014 era, as it is considered to be an end to the war against the terrorism will be a beginning of a new war of America and his opponents.
The terrorist militants who were benefiting financial and tactical supports from CIA and ISI will be redirected to the side heroes of the great game. It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has been on one of the key characters during the past in terms of producing extremist militants and backing them financially. But the role of this character will be restricted in the future since the politicsin Arab empire are totally regulated by the U.S. In order to film the future episodes, the superpower opponents will have no fear of supporting Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
The presence of America in the region is a great warning for the neighboring countries, especially for Iran and Pakistan. These two countries will be the first vulnerable countries that will be removed from the scene. So that to remain on the screen, they will try their best to keep America busy with Afghanistan. Iran has already been trying to build a strong relationship with China, India and Russia in order to have groundwork of facing the future threats by America. Simultaneously, Pakistan has been playing a crafty role throughout the history and this time it will do the same.
As a result the poor Afghan citizens have got no alternative rather than hosting the great game of rivalry. Their dream of experiencing peace in real sense will remain a dream. They have to tolerate another era of war and insurgenciesshouldering the bloodshed of their brothers and sisters.