Após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, os EUA foram o defensor indiscutível dos valores liberais ocidentais. A Alemanha e o Japão estavam em ruínas, a China foi convulsionada em uma guerra civil e a África ainda foi colonizada. Somente a União Soviética desafiou a hegemonia da América e na crise dos mísseis cubanos, piscou primeiro. Os EUA tentaram sustentar um regime corrupto e fraco em Saigon que não tinha o apoio do povo. A vitória aliada ao libertar o Kuwait de Saddam Hussein's Crude Land Grab foi rápida e duradoura. Isso ocorreu porque o objetivo era claro e a guerra teve o apoio das pessoas e da maioria do mundo árabe. Os americanos foram inspirados por vingança, nunca um bom mestre. O resto de nós tinha uma vaga noção de que o povo do Afeganistão, Iraque e Líbia estavam sedentos de democracia liberal. É verdade que as mulheres afegãs foram libertadas para viver uma vida mais normal, mas isso não é o mesmo que dizer que nossa intervenção militar levou a um consenso civil suficiente para livrar os países de elites corruptas e incompetentes. Montagem estrangeira, senhores de guerra e divisões religiosas realmente o tornaram um lugar indisciplinado. A União Soviética foi expulsa e agora nós e os americanos sofremos o mesmo destino. Os bilhões de dinheiro ocidental poderiam ter sido usados para construir um exército eficaz e, mais importante, estabelecer um governo que ganhou a lealdade de seu povo. Em vez disso, os governos fracos de Hamid Karzai e Ashraf Ghani eram tão pobres que os rebeldes do Taliban conseguiram obter apoio. Eles são fanáticos brutais e ideológicos, mas mantiveram a lei e a ordem em uma terra sem lei. No passado, eles perguntaram quanto tempo a América ficaria. Bem, Joe Biden respondeu a isso e acabou com o que Donald Trump começou. O ex -presidente ficou incomumente quieto nos últimos dias. A verdade é que Biden tem o apoio do povo americano na retirada, embora os frangalhos dos últimos dias sejam trágicos e prejudiquem o presidente. O Império Americano está em retirada. Como resultado, enfrentaremos uma porcelana poderosa e encorajamos fundamentalistas, não uma perspectiva feliz.
The first crack in American supremacy came in Vietnam and the USA’s defeat has some parallels with what has just happened in Afghanistan. The US tried to prop up a corrupt, weak regime in Saigon that didn’t have the support of the people.
The first Gulf War was a misleading last flicker of the ability of the West to impose its will in Asia. The allied victory in freeing Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s crude land grab was quick and lasting. That was because the aim was clear, and the war had the support of the people and most of the Arab world.
The marking of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 next month will be overwhelmed by the reflection that that was when things went really wrong for the West.
Our response to the terrible tragedy was understandable but misguided. The Americans were inspired by revenge, never a good master. The rest of us had a vague notion that the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya were thirsting for liberal democracy. It is true that Afghan women were liberated to live more normal lives but that is not the same as saying that our military intervention led to sufficient civil consensus to rid those countries of corrupt, incompetent elites.
Since its formal creation in 1880 by Britain and Russia, Afghanistan has been very unstable. Foreign meddling, war lords and religious divisions have truly made it an unruly place. The Soviet Union were driven out and now we and the Americans have suffered the same fate.
My heart goes out to the Afghans, but they have had 20 years to change the course of their country’s history. The billions of Western cash could have been used to build up an effective army and, more importantly, establish a government that gained the loyalty of its people. Instead, the weak governments of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani were so poor that the Taliban rebels were able to gain support. They are brutal and ideological fanatics, but they kept law and order in a lawless land.
President Biden has taken a lot of stick, particularly in the media, where some journalists have wanted to prove they can hand it out to a Democrat as well as Donald Trump. In the past they have asked how long America was going to stay. Well Joe Biden has answered that and put an end to what Donald Trump started. The former President has been unusually quiet these last few days. The truth is that Biden has the support of the American people in withdrawing, although the shambles of the final days is tragic and will damage the President.
But the truth is the American people want the infrastructure repaired in Kansas not Kabul. The American empire is in retreat. As a result, we will face a mighty China and emboldened fundamentalists, not a happy prospect.
