(15d) Testimony by a man who was a journalist in free Afghanistan

Carpet salesman Bilal Sarwary whose parents fled Afghanistan when he was a child, lived in Pakistan and witnessed the terrorist attacks on America that resulted in the occupation of Afghanistan by the USA. In the immediate aftermath he went to Afghanistan as a translator for foreign media but later became a journalist to report about Afghan life under the American military presence. Now that the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan, the journalist was told his life was in danger and he and his family had to leave Afghanistan, again. Here he writes about his 20 years in Afghanistan, when the Taliban were out of power. I include some of my comments on his article, although I accept I never lived there. In italics is text taken literally from the article. 

Before the USA invasion, people lived in fear while after the Taliban was gone Mr Sarwary writes: 

"Within hours, people were lining up again outside barber shops to have their beards trimmed. Rhythmic Afghan music filled the streets, filling the vacuum left by explosions. Afghanistan was born again that morning."

Unfortunately, as the Americans tried to find Taliban and al-Qaida persons, they hurt and arrested also normal civilians. The Afghan journalist makes the comment:

"Their [= Taliban and al-Qaida] fighters vanished into the mountainous rural areas, and their leadership fled to Pakistan. In retrospect, it is clear to me that this was a missed opportunity, a time when the US should have sat down with the Taliban to discuss a peace deal. I saw a genuine willingness amongst the rank-and-file of the Taliban to lay down their arms, and resume their lives. But the Americans didn't want that."

Of course, simply forgiving leaders who supported the killing of almost 3000 people was impossible for the USA, and those responsible had to be hunted down. Because, 09/11 was a trauma for everyone, including the children who lost or never knew their, mainly, fathers. Further, remember, already years before 09/11, Americans were targets such as terrorist attacks in 1998 against two USA Embassies in Africa, killing in total over 200 people, although mainly Africans, showing everyone suffers. Thus, doing nothing only encourage terrorists. 

Further, the article reminds us that already in 2003, there was a major bomb attack in Kabul, thus only 2 years after the USA's invasion. This showed that the Taliban and al-Qaida had no interest in peace. Indeed, if the Taliban wanted peace it could have helped to capture Osama bin Laden. Now, 20 years later, the Taliban are back in power as soon as it was possible and they still talk about the shariah as an excuse to oppress and kill; indeed, women are warned not to protest for their rights and stay at home unless they are accompanied by a man. 

After the 2003 bomb, of course the Americans fought back, often using airstrike of which many "... were led by false intelligence, provided by someone who wanted to settle a bitter personal rivalry or land dispute at village level. The growing lack of trust between ground forces and ordinary Afghans meant that US forces couldn't tell the truth from the lies. The Taliban used these attacks to wedge Afghans against their own government, which proved to be fertile ground for their recruitment drives." 

Indeed, when Afghans died at the hands of Americans, this resulted in at least some family and friends opposing Americans and their allies, even when wrong information by Afghans resulted in the death of other Afghans. In contrast, terrorist bomb attacks killed mainly in city where many Afghans were pleased with the allies presence to protect them. Yes, the power of the Taliban grew most outside cities. 

Now again we can be sure that certain people will use the return of the Taliban to get rid of opponents and thus aggression between Afghans never seems to stop. Further, it seems the Taliban want to prevent a brain-drain, the reason why they tried to stop the evacuation efforts. I have a simple remedy: stop treating people badly and move towards a normal society where people can live in peace so everyone, including women, can contribute to society. Indeed, first the Taliban need to proof by actions that they want change, and this is likely only possible when they educate their Taliban soldiers to stop abusing their powers to mistreat people. 

The article continues: "When the Americans recently commenced negotiations with the Taliban in Doha, we were initially overwhelmed with hope." But, the next paragraph illustrates the disillusion: "It didn't take long for our dreams to be shattered. It became clear that the talks were only about capitalising on battlefield victories, not trying to agree on a vision of peace. From an ordinary Afghan's perspective, they were meaningless. The Americans released 6,000 Taliban fighters and commanders from jail, which was sold as a means to a credible and meaningful peace process, and a permanent ceasefire. But that never happened." 

Why? Because after 20 years the Taliban still think their vision of Islam is the good one and those who disagree must be wrong as they refuse to be controlled. Indeed, leading up to the Taliban takeover, we read about massacres of mothers, babies and nurses in maternity ward of hospitals (how monstrous) while there were high-profile assassinations of the most capable people to warn the remaining people how the Taliban rules, ie by killing opponents. Even today, Taliban members kill pregnant woman who they consider was an enemy as she worked with the police; the Taliban denies. How many stories do we not hear? It shows the violence in that society. 

The journalist also mentions that, after 20 years, a friend didn't soften his opinion about Americans after he saw how Afghans could live more freely in places where the Americans and allies ruled; instead he hardened further because family members were killed in a raid by the Americans that seems to have been based on false information because, that is upon which Afghanistan's society is built: tribal disputes are fought with weapons (again and again this comes back in articles about the country). As I also briefly mentioned higher, this illustrates why the Americans had to leave as there is simply no solution: to protect Afghans, Americans sometimes have to kill opponents whereby also innocent people can become victim and this angers part of Afghanistan's society against Americans. Also the drone attack after two bomb attacks at Kabul's Airport that killed nearly 200 people who were scared of the Taliban and Isis and therefore wanted to leave Afghanistan, seems to have killed innocent Afghans, including children, that caused anger among those who decide to remain in Afghanistan. Still, this drone attack would not have taken places when the two bombs were not used. 

The article: "... But then [president] Ghani left by helicopter and suddenly the Taliban were in the city. There was fear hanging in the air - people were very scared to see them back.   

Then I was told that my life was in danger." 

Indeed, pictures we see about people grabbing planes in the hope to escape the Taliban, only to fall to their death, illustrate the panic by people who lived under the relative safety of western armies as they don't trust the Taliban. Still, as the Taliban didn't meet much resistance when they retook the country, people are not sufficiently fearful to oppose them while others are happy the Taliban returned because they hope the war will be over so peace can return - let us hope they are right.

Thus, now the Taliban can proof they mean it well as they say they do, although immediately they installed an Islamic regime that includes harsh punishments. Further, already part of their followers seem to have killed people they don't like such as those who worked with the Americans although the Taliban denies this happened. Women are advised to stay home and thus their jobs can be replaced by men, resulting in an important brain-drain. Any depiction of persons are removed and destroyed, often by artists who fear punishment when their art is discovered. Not a good beginning for the Taliban to proof they changed for the better. Yes, it becomes a black&white society. 

Still, the Taliban may be lucky that an even greater evil is now within Afghanistan, ie IS or Daesh, who have even less mercy when it concerns human lives such as their attack on Kabul's airport to kill a maximum numbers of people showed. This way, maybe, the Taliban may be able to protect Afghans. Future will tell. Still, it shows a society in which all happiness is gone except for Taliban fighters who laugh when they oppress people; indeed, hell on earth. 

In London, a play will analyse the involvement of the UK and its war crimes in Afghanistan. However, for me, this war was inevitable after the attacks on American soil and earlier attacks as they couldn't be left unpunished. What the future after the withdrawal of the American and Western armies will bring is something we will learn. Intelligence Agencies will remain important. Still, I fear the UK (and USA) involvement in Afghanistan may not be the worst period for Afghans although of course investigations to prevent future errors are important.