The outcome of war is always deaths and destruction no matter what the causes and objectives are. Irrespective of what the parties to the war call their struggle, it certainly affects not only the sides involved but also the people of areas where the war erupts. Afghanistan has been a theater of wars under different names virtually over the last half a century. The country is known as “the graveyard of empires,” where sometimes the West has crushed the East, and sometimes the East has tried to overthrow the West. This ‘game of rivalry’ between the West and East has continued until now. Afghanistan is at the epicenter of this warfare, which claims only Afghan lives, but serves foreign interests. Neither of the Afghan sides involved in the war is able to stop it because their volitions have been held captive by the “big players”.
While the peace-thirsty Afghan nation has long been calling for a political settlement of the conflict, American forces who have come to Afghanistan apparently to protect the country from the evil of terrorism are seeking to open a new front in the destructive war. The top commander of foreign troops in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicolson, has said that they were encouraging the Taliban to fight against Daesh. In response to the remarks, the Taliban have stressed that Americans should stop aiding Daesh fighters instead of encouraging them to fighting the group. In a statement, the Taliban have also claimed that American troops have bombed their fighters in many cases to prevent them to suppress and weaken Daesh.
The United States and the Taliban being opposed to Daesh is apparently a common ground, but suspicions and concerns with regard to America’s stance against Daesh are not limited to the Taliban. In addition to Afghans, some regional states also view Daesh as an “American conspiracy or project”. They believe that Daesh has been created to prolong Afghan conflict and therefore continue to destabilize the region even if the Taliban join the peace process.
Gen. Nicolson’s statements encouraging the Taliban to fight against Daesh are irresponsible. If foreign troops can motivate the Taliban to do something, it should be peace first and foremost, not the continuation of bloody fight. If there are plans to bring the Taliban on board in the fight against Daesh, it should be after the success of peace process. Asking the Taliban to join the fight now will only prolong the war, something at least Afghan people do not want.
Nicolson should encourage Taliban to pursue peace, not war with Daesh
