This is the twelfth year of war on terror in Afghanistan. The war started against the fundamentalists and other fanatic groups who upset peace and have been growing to stop civilization and progress. The Bush administration in late 2001 came into the region to build the nation, kill the brutal killers of innocent citizens, and bring a true democratic law in the country in which all the stockholders could have the right to vote, raise their voices and claim their rights, while respect for individuals would be the main objective. They came into the region to establish law and put the Taliban and Al-Qaeda out of the business so that this war-affected nation could live in peace and brotherhood once again.
However, more than 11 years into the war, the U.S. and its allied forces have made many achievements both on social and political growth. They have built the concept of democracy in a society where there was no rule of law or justice with more illiterates than literates. Perhaps, it might not be easy to cover all the destructions being brought in the last more than three decades of constant war in a conservatives society with narrow minded groups who hate civilization and escape progress and democracy.
In the same way, when President Bush entered into the region along with his allied forces against the fundamental groups, they built schools and enabled the children to return into their classes. They enabled women to make full participation in social and political affairs from the village to country level without fear of discrimination or violence.
Despite their constant efforts with unlimited funds in political, social and economic growth, there are not many achievements on the ground due to poor rule of law and corrupt governance. Now, not only the nation, but the whole world is raising questions from the current government about its achievements in the last 11 years of service for people.
Honestly speaking, we have nothing in hands as achievements for the world at large to show! In fact, it is their right to cut off their funds for a nation that hates progress, stability and peace themselves. Indeed, the international community and other nations have been pushing us towards peace-building, progress and independency since 2001 to respond to our needs ourselves and be a self-reliant nation. But those who had the authority have been only focusing on their personal goals and objectives and ignored the importance of peace and stability, instead built their dreamed buildings and transferred to their international bank accounts from the funds being raised from the world to rebuild the country.
As I have had discussions with most civilized and well educated people about the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan, almost all of them are with the views that the foreigners are not supposed to be in our country! What is so amazing to me is what did our beloved leaders, including the Taliban and other warlords did for us in the last more than 40 years! Instead of building the nation and moving for a permanent peace as one force, they have separated the nation into many parts and made them kill each other with much impunity.
To be honest, the foreigners would not be in Afghanistan if we had not invited them. We are the cause for the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan if we do not oppose their presence. Thus, I am quite sure that there would begin another conflict among the people once the foreigners return to their homes as we do not seem to like each other and do not negotiate for talented personalities or effort to bring peace ourselves.
Indeed, the foreigners in the last more than 11 years tried to make us self-reliant so as to make effort to bring peace, stability and progress ourselves. Perhaps, it is hard to rebuild a nation when its people have no feeling of sympathy or who have been only thinking of their own pockets. It is very hard to force a nation to feel their responsibility towards their homeland or push them to bring the willingness to take initiatives in the fight to stop corruption, injustice and humiliation in their society when they do not want themselves.
We have been always pointing towards others with huge expectation to bring us peace, prosperity and civilization while we have never released that others cannot do much for us unless we struggle ourselves. We are used to the fund raising programs in the last 11 years of foreign involvement in the country while we never become the supporter for change into peace, stability or independency ourselves.
Today the world says that Afghanistan’s crumbling is due to corruption, lawlessness, terrorism, hostility, and the cause to upsetting peace in the world. The bribe-givers and takers are devouring one side on one side, the outlaws are disintegrating on the second side and the terrorists are damaging the frontage, and the hostile tribes are desolating the back wall of the country. They are paralyzing and mostly affecting the lower class citizens with no support, recommendation or bribe. In response, the poor get poorer and the rich get vice-versa.
To establish democracy and bring permanent peace is not quick or possible if the nation themselves want it and become the drivers of change themselves. It is not possible to rely on the foreign funds forever; instead we must tie close relationship with the rest of the world and work closely with our all stockholders and other local and international NGOs for our own good. We must act now in order to bring a true democratic law in the country and convince each and every tribe to abolish its dictatorial rules that are in existence for centuries and persuade the tribe to become a part of the central government, and bring a much needed safety and stability in the region.
Above all, the future of this country depends upon its people and leaders, not the foreigners. Still we go with the day dreaming and waiting for others to bring us peace and stability while we never had the willingness to establish it ourselves. It still depends upon the Taliban and non-Taliban Afghans who on their own should find ways to coexist peacefully and find ways to cope with the future and present challenges. Nevertheless, the Afghans must seek ways themselves to be independent and find better solutions for the ground challenges. To bring peace, progress, stability and establish a democratic law in the country the nation has rise. Sometimes, neither fixing nor punishing a nation is possible unless they themselves become the driver of change.