Last few months witnessed a surprising change in the tone of President Karzai in addressing the issues related to the favorite ally of our country, the United States. This all started with the disagreement held between the two sides for signing the bilateral security agreement that would not only decide the fate of the US soldiers to remain behind (If they remained!) but also the fate of the country. Lot has been said and written about this issue and there are so many points in favor and against this agreement. In the recent past, President Karzai appears to be the only person who has resisted so much pressure from the American high-ups and when the limits of polite pressures and refusals were crossed, the blames and accusations were started from both the sides. The government of President Karzai was blamed to be the most corrupt to have eaten away the billions of dollars being funded by US and other international allies of the country that were aimed for the development of the country and of course, being the head of the state, President Karzai cannot be left untouched whenever this issue is raised. For this, President Karzai blamed the international powers, especially the US, for not working properly and honestly to tackle the problems of militants and especially Taliban who are still a threat for Afghanistan and the region even after the twelve years’ presence of world’s best forces in the country. The worst of it came the other day when President Karzai told an international newspaper that the US is present in Afghanistan only to serve its own objectives and has no interest in the betterment of the country or the people. With this, there came a halt of statements from both the sides and US has pinned its hopes of signing the BSA deal with the new president.

Before this as well, President Karzai had partially blamed the US and its allies for corruption, and increasing militancy in the country. This is the first time that such blames and accusations have echoed on an international level which has left so many people surprised but inside the country, it is not something new or surprising. There has been large number of events that were not natural and these have given birth to so many suspicions in the minds of large number of the populace about so many things. These suspicions are so grave and serious and may have even more serious consequences that very less people have dared to open their mouths publicly or hold the pen bravely to write about it.

After the regime of Taliban, it all appeared quite natural in the beginning. There was a strong and well-equipped international force, accompanied with best equipments and intelligence sources to have over-thrown the power of Taliban and continue their efforts to catch the remaining leaders and activist. First 2-3 years of the democratic setup now appear like a dream for Afghans. In these three years, militancy had finished, Taliban had disappeared and construction work was in progress with a great pace but then things started worsening. Taliban reappeared and so the road-side bombs, suicide bombings, attacks on international and Afghan forces and many more. The question arises, if these militants were once finished, from where they got enough resources and training to re-appear. The present condition is even worse. Once limited to certain areas, now Taliban have good setup and network in all parts of the country and even the northern areas where there prevailed antagonistic feelings against them even in the regime of Taliban. The question arises, how did all this happen and from where they are getting the support? Usually, it is a general practice to blame the international powers to be the financers of this and Pakistan is blamed to be providing them with shelter and training. This seems to be too much simple and to large extent, it is satisfactory as well as we have already made a mindset of public, both inside and outside the country, that Pakistan is responsible for all the miseries of Afghans and if you cannot find anyone else, it is a rather convenient approach to throw the dust on it. Personally, I am not in position to blame any country or power for these but before looking at the stains on other’s collars, it would be more rational and appropriate if we try to tidy up our owns.

President Karzai’s accusations about the role of international powers in the militancy inside the country may be one of the thousands stories that circulate inside the country about similar accusations. In all these years, why Taliban did not attack the foreign forces instead of attacking the Afghans? (Statistics of dead and wounded in Taliban’s attacks may be useful in this regard) Why were some Taliban militants, captured by Afghan forces, released by NATO forces when they were handed over to them? Why not the agencies of US and other international forces could capture and destroy the vast network of Taliban when they are able to find and hunt down a single person from any corner of the world? Why not the sources of economic support being shut down when they are in position of doing so? Why Afghan forces, which had seized Taliban militants in an area, were bombarded by the NATO forces instead of militants? Why not CIA and other spy agencies discover and catch the Taliban members who are given shelter, medical treatment and training in different cities of one of our neighboring countries and this fact is generally known to the public?

If the above accusations and blames are against the US and NATO, there are present similar blames and accusations against the Afghan government as well. Why militants reach to the most sensitive areas in the capital city and other prime cities when they are so much heavily guarded? Why not our spy agency catches the militants before they carry out any hideous and disastrous activity in different parts of the country? How much truth is there in the blames that top-government officials are involved in clearing the way for militants to reach their targets?

 We blame different sources for the birth and rise of militancy and radicalism. We blame corruption, economic failures, unemployment, religious extremism, social injustice and inequality and many more responsible for this but it is a fact that these reasons can never be the prime reasons of militancy and re-birth of Taliban. It looks that international powers, in which our government is also a part, are playing a great game for their own benefits and objectives. But it is very saddening that this game is being played on the cost of blood of innocent Afghans. On the other hand, this bloody game is totally based on negativism. If international powers spend their billions of dollars on promotion of education, infrastructure and other positive areas instead of feeding militancy and corrupt politicians of the region, better results can be expected. With the present strategy of destruction, no one would get anything as a positive result can never be attained by a negative approach.