Despite the US, the Taliban control more Afghan territory since 2001

By Boyko Nikolov

KABUL, BM, ($1=81.80 Afghan Afghanis) – The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is news that has been welcomed by much of the world. Including in Afghanistan. We remind you that last year, at a historic meeting in Doha, the United States signed an agreement with the Taliban, which included this withdrawal of American troops. But what has the United States achieved in the last 20 years in this Asian country?

The bottom line is that the Taliban’s armed forces are now more numerous – about 75,000 Taliban, who are already launching military operations against the 300,000-strong Afghan security force.

The territory controlled by the Tabilabs in 2021 is larger than when the Americans arrived in 2001. This fact was again told to the Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby during the regular briefing.

Over the past 20 years, the US government has spent nearly $ 74 billion to secure its presence in Afghanistan, train and train new security forces, and take joint action in Afghanistan’s hot sandy deserts and poppy fields.

The Afghan army has the best and most modern equipment sold by the United States. It is not just about the ground forces, but also the air forces. Asked then how the Taliban continued to have this superiority over the Afghan security forces, Kirby was quite concise. He believes that the problem is not in the equipment available to the two warring parties, but in the way of waging war.

Kirby recalled that the Taliban do not like to engage in direct military battles but to build a network of terror among the country’s population, which creates fear and gives them some advantage.

“I don’t want to be in a position where I’m defending the – tactics and strategy of the Taliban. They have never wanted to have governance capability in Afghanistan. I mean, this has been a persistent goal of theirs And – and they can operate within the population, you know, in ways that official uniformed personnel are not able to do necessarily as easily or as adequately. And they also – unlike the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces, I mean – they use intimidation and torture and cruel methods to achieve their ends through fear and – and intimidation,” Kirby said.

He said the neighboring state of Pakistan had also been hit by the Taliban, although in recent years it had provided “hiding” for much of the Taliban’s military wings, and today after the US military withdraws, they are returning.

In his statement, which you can read here, about the situation in Afghanistan, Kirby does not say anything new that the world did not know 20 years ago. Russia was one of the countries that warned the United States that they were going to a place where a “guerrilla war” would be fought. No rules, no warnings, no mercy, and the use of all means – allowed, forbidden, and new.

The United States has not changed much of Taliban influence. On the contrary, as we wrote above, the Taliban have control over a larger area than in 2001, when the Americans first set foot in the dusty desert fields.

But was that the goal? It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth that such a purpose did not exist. Society can easily be manipulated and shrouded in a wonderful promise of a bright future, human rights, and democracy. However, do you know what I see – 20 years of training in handling American weapons systems that will guarantee at least another 20 years of new orders for American weapons systems?

Because what has the United States changed in Afghanistan? Train soldiers, deliver, donate and sell weapons, build bases. Kirby himself says – the Taliban use the fear of the population to achieve their goals. Then did the United States do anything to teach ordinary people that a terrorist is as strong as the fear of him? And this question is more than touching because the Pentagon spokesman spoke only about the combat capabilities of the Afghan army, the equipment they have, the courage and bravery of Afghan soldiers. The United States continues to see democracy as a form of conflict rather than an instrument of communication.

Finally, I will remind you again what I keep repeating in this text – the Taliban are more than 2001, they have controlled more territory since 2001 and they continue with the same methods they were known for in 2001. Fear exists, killings exist, atrocities exist. What has changed?

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