Our New World

Orwell – are you laughing?

George Orwell, the author of1984 and its allusions to WW2 would be falling off his chair laughing at the most recent events re:Afghanistan.

Now, out of the clear blue, we learn the U.S. is negotiating with the Taliban, to broker a ‘peace’ and include the Taliban in any future government – if they put down their assault weapons and suicide bombings.

The Taliban are seeking recognition as a legitimate political voice, opening an office in Doha, Qatar, and stating through their spokesman, Mohammed Naeem, that the Taliban “want good relations with “all of the world countries.”” (Reuters, G&M, June 19, 2013, A3, “U.S., Taliban to begin talks”).

 

How odd and how déjà vie!

Since 9-11, for the last12 years, the Taliban have been ‘the enemy’. They sheltered and empowered Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaida terrorists for years until the day of reckoning, 9-11.

For 5 years, 1996 to 2001, the West closed its eyes to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and their imposition -- with an iron fist – of Sharia Muslim fundamentalism: destroying century old Buddahs that were revered by millions, banning girls from school and enforcing Burkah style dress and other anti-female, medieval rules.

After 9-11, the U.S. and NATO responded by invading Afghanistan to crush Osama ben laden’s Al Qaida and ouster the Taliban government that sheltered him and his international terrorists, in the name of spreading fundamentalist Islam, and crushing its enemies: by definition, the morally corrupt West led by the United States and Israel.

And for the last 12 years, the battle for control of Afghanistan, the war to restore modern, western values and liberties and better treatment of women, has been unending and fierce.

 

So why the sudden change?  Why is the ‘great enemy’ and ‘ villain’ no longer excommunicated, no longer a demon to be exterminated at all cost?

 

Simple. 

The U.S. and NATO are withdrawing their troops by next year - after 12 bloody years of military statemate - and leaving the newly created Afghan army in charge.

The Taliban have been beaten at times but they have not given up.  But the West no longer has the stomach for, or money, to continue supporting the Hamid Karzai, ‘moderate’ and west-leaning government for ever.

Since the Taliban is the voice of the traditional and devoute Punstan majority, its defeat in battle was never assured or, really, likely. The Pushtan tribe constitutes some 50 million people straddling both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border, and alone constitutes 40% to 60% of Afghanistan’s population.nb (Wikipedia, “Punshtan”.)

As long as the majority of Pushtans supported and sheltered their Taliban kinsmen, Taliban defeat was never in the cards.

 

So diplomacy is replacing guns, and yesterday’s arch villain is suddenly today’s ‘new partner in peace’.

 

Orwell mocked this ‘pragmatic real-politick’ when it occurred in WW2 and he would again mock the hypocrisy and ‘amnesia’ that is occurring today.  

WW2 began when German AND Russia, implementing secret clauses of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of  1939, invaded Poland together,  with Russia over-running and seizing (as agreed) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina and the Hertza region and (parts of) Finland. (Wikipedia “Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.)

But when Hitler turned on Russia in the summer of 1941 and invaded it, suddenly, Russia asked for and got British support and soon thereafter U.S. arms and materials, to create a second front against Germany.

The old truism: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” was applied, and suddenly the British and American propaganda machines that had villanized Communist Russia since the 1917 Revolution were suddenly turned on their heads – and people did not seemed to have noticed!

 

Today, the same ‘hold your nose’ and embrace yesterday’s enemy, is being applied to the Taliban.

They have not been exterminated let alone crushed by the most powerful armies of the West in over a decade of fighting. And soon, the western troops will be leaving for home – exhausted.

A brave face must declare western victory, and some chance of peace in Afghanistan must be tried now that the military option has failed.

I am waiting for the photo of Barak Obama shaking hands with the head of the Taliban and Hamid Karazi on the lawn of the White House or Camp David as in the past.

And, like Orwell, I am not confident that the leopard called the Taliban will change its spots and settle for democracy and co-existence in Afghanistan.