Afghanistan: War, Tribalism and Opium

The primary justification for the Afghan invasion was to eradicate Al-Qaeda, and promises were made to rebuild Afghanistan with a representative government, creating political stability and economic prosperity. For sure, Al-Qaeda has been dismantled substantially if not completely, with most of its leaders including Usamah Bin Laden dead.

However, there is very little progress made on the political front, primarily due to the failure to bring the dominant Pashtun based Taliban to the table. The political process is further exasperated by the criminal actions of the US-led forces: the frequent killings of innocent civilians, urinating on dead Afghans, and the burning of the Quran are just some examples from a long list. Consequently, the attitudes of ordinary Afghans towards the Americans have progressively hardened, along with a growing distrust of the Afghan security forces.  

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