"When will the Americans learn their lesson?"
By Raxenn Ayesha Lachica
We usually see scenes of people clinging to an aircraft or falling from it, but these are in the movies.
Recent events in Afghanistan showed that it happens in reality. People were trying to flee a perceived danger. And through social media, people around the world are aware of these developments. Many are worried that the Taliban would commit horrendous acts, with the U.S. military having pulled out of the country.
It’s hard to imagine the fear and apprehension Afghans feel in this terrifying time in their country. But it’s also hard to believe that these events happen only because of the decisions of a few — some of whom are safe in their offices in Washington, far from the crisis happening in Afghanistan.
Many of us may feel empathy for the people in Afghanistan experiencing these troubles right now. Observing the recent steps taken by the U.S. in light of the crisis, one could say that those in the office of President Joe Biden, who is in charge of the execution of the U.S. military pullout, lack that empathy which many of us feel. Several Democrats and Republican lawmakers are now airing their concern on the supposed lack of coordination and poor execution of Biden’s administration on this matter.
Still, it is kind of naïve to see it this way, considering the two decades the U.S. spent in Afghanistan just to end in this crisis.
And this is the harsh reality about the US, given its role as the ‘protector of global commons.’ Drastic decisions have to be made to protect her interests, domestic and abroad, that might have negative repercussions, not usually to those on US soil, but in lands far from it.
In the case of Afghanistan, such self-serving decisions (for the most part) coupled with poor handling and missteps, led to the return of the Taliban, paving the way for the possible return of the Islamist group’s atrocities.
What the US did 20 years ago to protect its interests, and maybe the interests of the world as well, and to share to the Afghans the values of liberty it cherishes are now on the brink of total collapse. The worst part is that Uncle Sam seems to have little interest in handling the uncertain situation Afghans face right now, which he started.
How long will this international political setup prevail — where lives, cultures, and societies of weaker states are sacrificed to protect the interests of the more powerful states?
What the US did to Afghanistan two decades ago has taught it a lesson, mainly on the millions of dollars going out of American soil and the thousands of lives of American soldiers dying far from their homeland. And now, the lives of the people that the US tried to ‘protect’ are now at stake due to its zealous pursuit to ward off ideas and policies that run against its own.
When will America truly learn its lesson?
The author is a graduating journalism student at the University of Santo Tomas.
