Uncertainties in Afghanistan

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Uncertainties in Afghanistan

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• Time to leave: The US is about to finally wind up its operations in Afghanistan, and it's time to see why it came there in 2002. It started with the Sept. 11, 2001 attack that was carried out by Al-Qaeda, based in Afghanistan and sheltered by the ruling regime of the Taliban.
• America versus the Taliban: So the US attacked Afghanistan, and flattened the regime. Its rules Mullah Omar ran away to Pakistan, and in 19 years now, lakhs are dead in the conflict that cost America nearly a trillion dollar. Pak remained a 'major US ally' while sheltering the Taliban.
• Helping Pakistan: US gave aid to Pakistan that was then used against its own Pashtun people in tribal areas of North Waziristan (Pak-Afghan border). The CIA knew that Pakistan was secretly sheltering the Talibanis in the Pak-Afghan border region, to keep the Afghan civil government weak, and India out of the equation. The US was silent about it, aiding Pakistan, while knowing about it other terror involvements. President Obama had the mastermind Osama bin Laden eliminated in Abbottabad, the centre of Pakistani military.
• Strange fix: The Balochistan people resist the Punjabi majority of Pakistan, and resistance is alive. Despite the Pashtuns being in the Pakistani Army, their region (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) has seen more disquiet. The 2014 school attack by TTP (Tehriq-e-Taliban Pakistan) killed hundreds of students, and the Army (Gen. Raheel Sharif) retaliated heavily in North Waziristan.
• The final push: The Army then said it was the final push to end the presence of Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in the region. Millions were displaced from their homes, and are still so. Federal govt. aid was cut, and civilians hit hard.
• South Waziristan: Large-scale ground offensive was carried out by the Army, with similar results. Citizens of this region no longer trust the government about their possible return to homes. 
• Attack on Afghani forces: The Pakistani ISI prompts the Haqqani Taliban network inside Afghanistan to attack Afghan forces. In parallel, the various factions of Pashtuns are now organising democratic protests, just like their legendary ancestor freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
• Ground reality: Inside Afghanistan, the Taliban now control vast tracts, and are keeping up their violent attacks. The US is reducing its troops-strength on ground, and the Taliban are no longer interested in a steady ceasefire. President Ghani and his Deputy Mr Abdullah are not on good terms. Pakistan remains duplicitous. The ISI is helping the Taliban do "salami slicing" in Afghanistan (similar to what China is doing with Indian border areas). 
• Taliban versus Pashtuns: The Pashtuns of Afghanistan hate the Talibanis for their medieval tendencies and ISI masters. Earlier in 1990s, the non-Pashtun majority of Afghanistan (Tajiks Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Baloch) had come together in the Northern Alliance to fight the Taliban (then the US had arrived). It's best that the US unites all ethnic groups before leaving, to taken on the Taliban-Pakistan nexus.
• Border line: Many Pashtuns say that the British had unjustly put the Durand line where it is, while it ideally should be on the banks of the Indus river!

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