Leaving Afghanistan
It has been 20 years since the United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan. The reason for the invasion was because of the infamous terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington DC, that happened on September 11, 2001. That day in infamy is now internationally known as simply "9/11."
Two weeks ago, the United States and its allies unceremoniously exited Afghanistan. This departure was accelerated by the collapse of the Afghan government, and subsequently its military.
So much has been written in newspapers, online, and said in various broadcast news outlets and talk shows about the disaster that this pullout from Afghanistan will cause. Some decry the fact that some Americans were left behind to fend for themselves. President Biden and the State Department have been criticized roundly, pointing to both strategic and tactical blunders. The criticism is from both political parties, and even some US allies joined in the US bashing.
Perhaps some of that criticism is warranted. But my harshest criticism is for former presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. Bush for the invasion itself, and his initial attempt to reshape Afghanistan in the US model. And Obama for failing to leave Afghanistan after Bin Laden was caught and killed. And Trump for negotiating a ridiculous deal with the Taliban to leave the country.
Even beyond those strategic blunders, in my view the Afghan government and its military deserve the lion's share of the blame. They squandered twenty years, failing to establish a strong democratic foundation and instill a sense of confidence in the people of Afghanistan. When the allies abruptly left, they were unwilling or unable to defend themselves from the Taliban. But why?
They had everything to fight for. Did they not like the way of life that the allies gave them? Did it not give women and children the opportunity to live in a freer society, able to go to school, and work without fear? Was that not enough to instill the passion that they needed to fight the Taliban? Apparently not enough. The Taliban has the passion that drove them to prevail over an uninspired Afghan military.
But really, when you really think about it, could this catastrophe have been avoided? Was it realistic to think that a country like Afghanistan, which is comprised of disparate ethnic clans spread across a wide geographical area, could be molded into a secular society like those of the US and Europe? Judging from the twenty-year Afghanistan experiment, apparently not.
Flash Card Drill
- Asahara's attack of the Tokyo subway system in 1995 was a brutal act held in infamy ever since. 1995年の麻原の東京地下鉄への攻撃は、それ以来ずっと悪名高い残忍な行為でした。
- He was fired unceremoniously after 20 years of service to the organization. 彼は組織への20年間もの奉仕の後、不意に解雇されました。
- You can't decry violence while making it look exciting, as many movies do. 多くの映画がそうであるように、それをエキサイティングに見せておきながら暴力を非難することはできません。
- The captain's decision was roundly criticized by the soldiers he led, but they kept it quiet. 大尉の決定は、彼が率いる兵士たちから手厳しく批判されたが、彼らはそれを内密にしていた。
- The coach's blunders caused the team to loose confidence in him, so he was fired after the season was over. コーチの失態によりチームは彼への信頼を失い、シーズンが終わった後に彼は解雇された。
- He squandered all the money he inherited on booze and women. 彼は酒と女に相続したお金をすべて浪費した。
- Because many of America’s big cities are a mix of disparate cultures, its residents are able to experience many different cuisines. アメリカの大都市の多くは異なる文化が混在しているため、その住民はさまざまな料理を体験することができます。
