Afghanistan Times
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Given the circumstances, it is without a doubt that our country needs united leaders now more than ever to maintain security, address the coronavirus pandemic, and pursue peace negotiations with the Taliban. But unfortunately, the saga of political rift stemming from the last year’s controversial presidential election between two leaders squabbling over the mantle of the presidency – officially-announced President Ashraf Ghani and self-proclaimed President Abdullah Abdullah – has overshadowed every other national issue of extreme essence. The US is deemed liable, and rightly so, for its dual role here and for contributing to the political divisions by recognizing one of the presidential election candidates as the winner. This is while Russia directly blames the US for stoking up the flames of political polarization in Afghanistan. This finger-pointing by Moscow comes at a time when the US, being preoccupied with the success of its peace deal with the Taliban and its troop withdrawal, has resorted to a carrot-and-stick approach with regards to the Afghan government. Its hypocritical role is evident from the fact that once it endorses one candidate to be the president and then compels him to form up an inclusive government while enticing the other to keep pushing his stance. Where is the logic in making a president you recognize create an inclusive government? To realize its demands, the country’s Secretary of State Pompeo late last month announced aid-slashing by $1billion to Afghanistan, followed by an ultimatum that if the political tensions weren’t resolved, the country would pull its troops out of Afghanistan – with an insinuation of complete hand-over to the Taliban. Considering the Afghan democracy being groomed over the past two decades, the US takes it upon itself to decide whatever kind of government establishes here, as it pleases. It’s very disappointing to see the US claiming to be a strategic ally and then using economic pressures to influence and shape the course of Afghan politics. The aggravation of the political standoff and then subsequently forcing the leaders to mend fences by forming an inclusive government is a crystal clear tale of the US making Afghan leaders dance to its tunes. It’s advisable for the Trump administration to cease interference in Afghan politics in such a blunt manner. Every ordinary person comprehends how it has been fueling political tensions over the past few years and then symbolically emerging as the problem-solver. Meanwhile, if the Afghan leaders have a tiny bit of patriotism and a sense to serve this nation, they should never allow such influence over Afghan politics just for the purpose of satiating their thirst for power.
