Afghanistan Abgesang

Members of the Taliban in Laghman Province in eastern Afghanistan last March
 (©NYT/Jim Huylebroek)

Red Baron blogged about Afghanistan before. This time it is an abgesang (farewell).

 
The US-forces forces left Afghanistan, and Jerry Coyne wrote, “But the signs that the Taliban have not reformed are increasingly clear: An assassination campaign against government workers, civil society leaders, and security forces continues on pace. There is little effort to proceed with peace talks with the Afghan government, despite commitments made to the United States. And in areas the insurgents have seized, women are being forced out of public-facing roles, and girls out of schools, undoing many of the gains from the past 20 years of Western presence.“

Kowsar, 13, and her sister, Madina, 15, sitting in a tent for internally displaced people
in Jowzjan Province in May. They have not been able
to continue their education because the Taliban took over their home
 and banned girls from going to school (©NYT/Kiana Hayeri)

„In places they now rule, the Taliban have imposed their old hard-line Islamist rules, such as forbidding women from working or even going outside their homes unaccompanied, according to residents in recently captured districts. Music is banned. Men are told to stop shaving their beards. Residents are also supposed to provide food for Taliban fighters.“

It was clear to me from the beginning: The semi-democratic Afghan government stands on feet of clay. Once the alliance of 36 western nations leaves the country to the present rulers, the Taliban will take over in no time. Now it is just a question for a few weeks until they have the full command.

German soldiers marching in the dust (©dpa)

Germany sent its first soldiers to Afghanistan on January 1, 2015, and the last troops left
Masar-i-Scharif on July 1, 2021.

That's it: soldiers in Mazar-i-Sharif shortly before their departure for Germany (©dpa)

It was a bitter withdrawal from the operation Resolute Support, with 59 comrades dead and the democratization efforts in shambles. Indeed, Germany has participated in the building-up of the Afghan armed forces, but our main assistance centered around creating the necessary infrastructure for girls' education.

Back home. Arrival at military base Wunstorf (©dpa)

To sum up the failure: The Afghan army of an impressive 300,000 men and women will and cannot resist the Taliban fighters, and all educational efforts will soon be nullified.

Mission not accomplished or Resolute Support‘s labors‘ lost.

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