Shahabuddin Khaled Chowdhury : Dr Henry kissinger, a brilliant Professor of Harvard University of America, was appointed by the then newly elected President of United States of America. Mr. Nixon as his adviser in the year 1969.He wrote a book namely “White House Years” Where he wrote about Vietnam war where America had to fight a war against North Vietnam on behalf of South Vietnam for several years. He wrote ” Richard Nixon inherited this cauldron (Vietnam) of all choices he was probably the least suited for the act of grace that might have achieved reconciliation with the responsible members of the opposition.
Seeing himself in any case the target of liberal conspiracy to destroy him, he could never bring himself to regard the upheaval caused by the Vietnam war as anything other than continuation of the long lived assault on his political existence”.
As a democratic country, opposition’s grow of many strands, there are pacifists who hates to see the country engaged in killing people thousands miles away, pragmatists could discern no plausible outcome, strong isolations are there in America who want end of American overseas involvement. Strong group of idealist are there in America who are unable to find compatibility between American values and horrors of war brought home by television network. Richard Nixon inherited this cauldron in Vietnam and now President Joe Biden inherited cauldron in Afghanistan.
On Thursday August 26, 2021 with the day coming almost to an end, Afgan citizens and American service members were waiting at the kabul Airport for a safe passage to U.S.A and they were waiting for the formal departure process to be completed. But the terrorist of Islamic State in khorasam province (ISKP) were waiting to detonate the suicide vests they were wearing. When evening prayer was about to start the first explosion was heard. It was not only blast, it was also followed by open gunfire by the terrorists. Afterwards, scene by utter chaos and confusion and devastation as panic spread in the surrounding areas. The death toll stands at more than103 including 13 American army members and 90 Afgans including children.
For President Biden, Slaying of 13 service members undoubtedly reflected a terrible blow to his presidency during kabul evacuation. While addressing the nation from the White House Biden was literally in tears and promised with a steel voice that attackers will be hunt down. The President is vehemently criticized by Republican law makers. Republican Congress woman Elise Stefanik said, “Joe Biden has blood on his hands. This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden’s weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be commander in chief”. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn tweeted that Biden and all his top national security staff should resign or face impeachment and removal from office. Though Republican out-cry is predictable but definitely some damage reflected in opinion polls which may be more worrying for President Joe Biden.
Undoubtedly Security measures were deployed by both U.S and the Taliban at Kabul airport but still a brutal attack took place under their very nose. So far as Taliban is concerned it is not still organized. The Taliban cannot do much on its own to prevent ISKP’s well organized terrorist attack. Of course, they are trying hard to stabilize security mechanism.
So far as American is concerned their military presence in Afghanistan has been reduced significantly. The foreign troops are mostly engaged with evacuation of foreign nationals. In fact the final, U.S exit from Afghanistan heavily dependent on Taliban to provide security around the Airport to face any possible threat.
The main problem of America was U.S backed govt in kabul totally proved Itself in effective to consolidate its power because that govt was horribly corrupt and at the same time inefficient and inexperienced at consolidating its power. So United States of America had to bear immense costs. 2356 U.S military deaths and a financial cost of 2.3 trillion dollars .When President Trump took the office as the President of the United States in 2016, he started serious negotiations with the insurgents and reached a deal to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. When Joe Biden came to power he conducted a review and decided to proceed according to Trump’s decision, Biden only took extra four months to August 31, for an orderly pullout. But the end came more faster than Washington expected. As a result Washington could not avoid the agony of the U.S withdrawal.
However on August 31, the deadline set by President Joe Biden, the longest war ended ignobly in the dead of night. A giant C 17 transport laden with troops and U.S Ambassador flew out of kabul Airport, 20 years after they unseated Taliban from power, general Christ Donahue, commander of the 82nd Air Division, became the last soldier to board the final flight out of Afghanistan, 20 years after American army unseated Taliban from power.
President Joe Biden said, immediately after final withdrawal of US army, “Let me be clear we will continue to support Afgan people through diplomacy, international influence and humanitarian aid. we will continue to speak out for basic right of Afgan people especially women and girls as we do around the world”.
Thus American longest ignominious war in Afghanistan ended.
