The channels and papers are full of news about the fall of Kabul these days. I don’t propose to bore readers with more. I just want to draw out the ironies that are rolling out of Afghnistan in the wake of Biden’s deicison to withraw the American forces – after 20 years, 4 presidents, US$2.3 trillion, and 2,300 American lives, not to mention the tens of thousands of Afghan lives.
First, look at the following picture. It was President Joe Biden meeting the press soon after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. Look, how lost he is!
Aiyoh!
This man represents the most powerful country in the world. Yet he can look so helpless! Shameful indeed. Where can Americans hide their faces, with all their “might” threats to the world? This is a man who is 78 years old and has spent his entire career in politics. But his wisdom is close to zero. No wonder! I have always said this, a defensive man will never learn. This is exactly happening to him. In the aftermath, he blames everyone except himself. This man never had to take accountability all his life. When it is time to do that, he doesn’t.
And where are the NATO commanders? And do the leaders of the Five Eyes/QUAD feel? And Tsai Ing-wen still wants to count on this man! Very sad indeed.
Spare us the Long MarchYou don’t need a military genius to tell you what would happen to Afghanistan once American forces capitulate under the circumstance and manner Biden had ordered. His genius (or should I say commonsense) in this case is incredible to fathom.
He reminds me of Ming general Wu Sangui [吳三桂] who opened the Shanhai Gate (山海关) to the Manchus 1644.
Within weeks, the Taliban literally swept the whole country and entered Kabul with a ragtag army. Now they have an air force and ultra-modern military gears.
Left: Desperation at Kabul Airport; Right: What can I do? Below: Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan’s Wu Sangui?
One for the album… Thank you, America! Certainly more comfortable than the caves!
Afghanistan is a patchwork tribal country, let alone a nation – Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazara Shiites, and Pashtuns. Despite this, America’s latest humiliation reinforces this fact: No power can hope to subdue it.
It is a land-locked country. To the north, it has several Central Asian ex-Soviet Union satellite countries as neighbours. To the east and southeast, it is Pakistan and to the west, Iran. China is a neighbour too; they are separated by a 91-km border. Nonetheless, it is a country that is said to be rich in minerals, many of which are of strategic importance. But being land-locked, it is as good as without.
Afghanistan has been a hotbed of support for Uighur’s East Turkestan Independence Movement. The movement has largely been neutralized by China’s development efforts in Xinjiang. However, as we all know America and its allies remain steadfast in destabilizing the situation with the usual rubbish – genocide and forced labour allegations. This makes China’s relationship with these Muslim neighbours a very delicate affair.
The geopolitics...
When the US’s Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was anxiously fidgeting in her plane for news if she could meet China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Taliban representatives were already on the way to Tianjin. They were accorded due diplomatic status for their 18th July meet. The setting of the venue that Wang Yi received Sherman was probably meant for the Taliban VIP; I suspect Sherman was just a “by-the-way” guest.
Many cynical of China is now coming with a new line: Afghanistan is going to be China’s new graveyard.
How shallow these people can be!
I just watched a video clip on Hua Chunyin’s reaction to a question about an accusation about the lack of democracy in China. I thoroughly enjoyed her rebuttal: Coco-Cola tastes the same everywhere, but Democracy is not Coca-Cola! The formula must be country specific. Readers interested in the full reply can access to enjoy Hua’s wittiness via this link: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcReeNh2rdE9os8fXRCt01I27i1v-CsxOLut-Q&usqp=CAU
China knows the destructive nature of warlordism; it has experienced it many times over its entire history. Suppression and sanctions will surely fail. America’s first instinct is to sanction the country, if it fails to kowtow to its wishes, just like what they have done to Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, Iran and even Russia at one time. People suffer and they would hate America more. The US forgets that they still have tens of thousands of Americans, and many thousands of other friends in Afghanistan, not to mention that many many thousands of Afghans who have been working for them. They are potential hostages if America tries to be difficult.
Tribal parochialism is best managed with firm and benevolent economic reforms. Respect their religion and culture but more importantly give them the opportunity to earn a decent living and they will lay down their arms. This is what China has been doing for all its minorities.
The vacuum left by America gives China an incredible opportunity to showcase this possibility or even wisdom. China is friendly with all the countries surrounding Afghanistan. Now is the time to help to bring the tribal forces together and work with them to introduce the Road & Belt linkages in Afghanistan. In no time every country in the region will have access to the Indian Ocean and the Chinese market. A right co-prosperity zone is then born!
And to the cynics, keep your spanner! Or learn to throw it at the leaders of America!
End
Afghanistan is not just the graveyard of imperialists. It was the birth place of empire builders and conquerors like the Mughals that ruled India and Timur or Timerlane that conquered a vast empire through Central Asia to Eastern Europe. Afghans have been fierce warriors.
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