The United States Decision In Afghanistan: Issues In Global Hegemonic Power Play

By Roland Uwakwe Chukwudi, Esq

Guns, tanks, light weapons, Jets, RPGs, SAM Missile and a huge power control have fallen into the hands of the Taliban. Few hours ago they killed an innocent Afghan woman for not covering her face even when her heir was fully covered; thousands of Afghan citizens are looking for every means to escape the horrors that will befall that territory in the coming days.

It is the view of this writer that the American government, including the allied forces took a wrong decision in withdrawing her troops and leaving the Afghans in the hands of the brutal Taliban forces. Two, International Relations theories shall be used to support this position, which is:

1. Hegemonic Stability Theory, and

2. The Democratic Peace Theory

Hegemonic Stability Theory -indicates that the international system is likely to remain stable when a single State is the dominate world power or hegemon- thus, the end of hegemony diminishes the stability of the international system.

Democratic Peace Theory on the other hand, posits that democracies are hesitant to engage in armed conflict with other identified democracies. This is not to say that democratic nations barely go to war but that they hardly go to war with fellow democracies, hence the more democratic nations become, the more the world system experiences peace.

HISTORY

The US involvement in the Afghan crisis started in 2001, the US was responding to the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington in which over 3,000 persons were killed- officials identified Islamic militants group Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama Bin Laden, as responsible . Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, under the protection of the Taliban, the Islamists who had been in power since 1996- when they refused to hand him over, the US intervened militarily by removing the Taliban and vowing to support democratic administration to eliminate the terrorist threats. NATO allies joined the US and a new Afghan government took over power in 2004, this did not stop the Taliban attacks. President Barrack Obama’s troop surges in 2009 helped push back the Taliban; however, this victory did not last for a long time.

Surprisingly, in 2014, at the end of what is tagged bloodies year since 2001, NATO’s international forces ended their combat mission, leaving the responsibility for security to the Afghan army, that gave the Taliban momentum and they seized more territories. Peace talks between the US and the Taliban started tentatively, with the Afghan government pretty much uninvolved and the agreement on a withdrawal came in February 2020 in Qatar.

EMERGING ISSUES

The Taliban have gained a reputation for brutality and enforcement of harsh brand of Islamic justice. The ousted Afghan government was allegedly accused of been fantastically corrupt, thus they could not manage the instability in the country. However, the US government could have recognized the fact that the worst form of democratic government is a thousand times better than an ideologically induced rebel organization.

A Taliban regime could again become a safe haven for extremists and sponsorship of terrorism unimaginable across the world. This will also harm the fight against human rights abuses.

The current happenings will ultimately challenge the US singular super power status and lead to a struggle for a balance of power in the international system.

Again at the balance of power game play, China could gain a foot-hold in the region. This is because in recent weeks, top Taliban leaders have been on a whirlwind international tour visiting Iran, Russia and China. China has reportedly promised big investments in energy and infrastructure, including the building of a road network in Afghanistan and is also eyeing the country’s vast, untapped rare earth mineral deposits. The Taliban see China as a source of international legitimacy and a potential economic supporter in the means of influence over Pakistan.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Since the end of the cold war and the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1989, the United States government has managed the global system as a singular super power. She has also continued to export democracy and capitalism as a framework for development; these have led to some sort of relative peace in the international system. Thus, she ought to have continued to play that role- the role of policing the planet earth. Her decision to leave Afghan may eventually be counter-productive as there are emerging signs that the Taliban will fight western civilization. Again, US tussle with emerging global powers like China and Russia may lead to the alteration of the balance of power.

Roland Uwakwe Chukwudi, Esq., M.Sc International Relations (UNIABUJA), rolanduwakwe@gmail.com