| Created By Blood: | How Afghanistan's past influenced it present and future. |

Jose M. Alvarez
12/22/2012
|

Abstract

I have been deployed to Afghanistan a few times during my military career. During theses deployments, I never focused on the past, present, and future of Afghanistan. I only focused on my mission at hand. I did basic research about the culture, and geography, but I never focused on what makes Afghanistan what it is; a country that by today's international standards has devolved. As I write this paper, I have a few goals. First, is to expand my knowledge base on the country, which in the long run will have a direct affect on my missions. Secondly, I wish to answer the question "How has the past forty years of constant conflict affected Afghanistan's past, present, and future". I want to look at this as a study because Afghanistan has been in a constant state of war for the last forty years, and it has taken its toll. Generations of Afghani's have never known peace, only war. In order to do a proper analysis on an entire country and its people, I will address the PMESII-P factors, though not sequentially. PMESII-P is a military acronym that stands for Political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, and physical environment. PMESII-P is a "reliable framework for analysis that, when applied judiciously, will lead to a sophisticated understanding of the dynamics within the foreign country or region of their assignment. Furthermore, the framework provides the start point for specific analyses of associated operational issues, questions, and problems". While this is not intended to be an exhaustive research, looking at a nations past, and present can provide us with insight on its possible future. Additionally, it has been brought to my attention that over the course of my deployments that I have become jaded about the nation and its people as a whole. I feel that by taking the time to research Afghanistan I will be able to better understand why it is in the state that it is in, and how it got to be that way.

Created By Blood;
How Afghanistan's past influenced its present and future

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

~John Stewart Mill

For the last eleven years, American forces have been involved in a deadly battle with insurgent forces in Afghanistan. It is a self inflicted wound for Afghanistan. Rewind to the year 2001, and things were very different for both Afghanistan and The United States of America. The U.S was living at an economic high, so to speak, and had not been involved in any serious drawn out international conflicts since Vietnam. Yes, there were conflicts such as the Persian Gulf War, but that was a very short conflict, and the U.S. suffered very few losses. Afghanistan was a completely different story. Throughout the last forty years, Afghanistan has been involved in a constant state of conflict being waged on their soil. From the Russian invasion in 1979 to the harsh and brutal governance under the Taliban regime, hundreds of thousands of Afghan lives have been lost due to warfare. Generations of Afghani's have only known the aftermath of battles, and it's landscape as well as it's psyche is permanently scarred. So, the question raised is this: How has being in a constant state of war for the last forty years affected Afghanistan's past, how does it affect the present, and how will it affect the future". Not an easy question to answer, by any means, but a question that deserves an answer nonetheless. Another question may be " Why bother, Afghanistan is a lost nation, with little benefit to the world". The answer is simple, really. Knowledge is power. After over eleven years of war, and no end in sight, we are no closer to a solution than we were in 2001. Additionally, thousands of lives have been affected by the constant wars in Afghanistan. Most of the lives lost and forever altered are form the Afghan population itself, but American casualties are mounting. Lessons have to be learned to ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated. As a representative of one armed factions engaging in the conduct of war, we owe it to the world to ensure that mistakes are not repeated. The purpose of this paper is just that: to analyze the events of the last forty years, and examine how those events shaped the society in which we now see before us. Afghanistan as a nation has been shaped by the wars in its history books. For the last forty years, the Afghan people have been shaped by those wars, and the lingering effects of those wars. Afghanistan in 1979 was a very unstable environment. There had been a series of coups, and various leaders were assonated or overthrown. During this time, a Marxist regime, The Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) was gaining strength, and took control of Afghanistan. The Soviets had an interest in Afghanistan years before the PDPA came to power. The PDPA had developed close diplomatic ties with Russia, and the form of government of employed by the PDPA was heavily influenced by the Soviet Union. The two nations had several common interests. The primary interest for the Soviet Union was to spread their ideology; Communism. In addition, Soviet officials felt the Afghanistan was of a strategic importance during the Cold War with the United States. Afghanistan received aid in the form of training mentors, equipment, money, and improvement projects. It was a beneficial relationship for both parties involved. The two governments had such close ties that in December of 1978, a "Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness" was signed between the two, which allowed the Russian Army to deploy troops at the request of the Afghan government to quiet several rebellions against the PDPA. This treaty opened the door to the Russian Invasion, which would follow almost a year to the day.
Russian Invasion On December 24, 1979 the Russian Invasion of Afghanistan began. It would be a quick build up to a long war. "By December 27, fifty thousand men were in the country, with five thousand troops and Spetsnaz (Soviet Commandos) in position around Kabul". The Russians invaded under the premise of assisting the current PDPA leader, Hafizullah Amin quell the uprising against new PDPA policies. In the Soviets eyes, they had "been reduced to only one option; the military rescue of a beleaguered fellow regime, or, as the rest of the world called it, invasion". In reality, during the first few days of fighting, Amin, holed up in the Presidential Palace, would come under attack from Soviet Spetsnaz (Commandos) dressed like Afghan soldiers, and he and his family would be executed. "The Soviet invasion achieved that rarity in Afghan history; a unifying sense of political purpose that cut across tribal, ethnic, geographic, and economic lines". The Soviet invasion created a "Declaration of Jihad" from several key leaders and village elders across Afghanistan. Once again, Afghanistan would rise up, and defeat an outside aggressor, "instilling a grim determination in the age old warrior culture of the countryside". In response to the invasion, Afghan countrymen took to arms, creating what is now referred to as the "Mujahedeen". The Mujahedeen were not career soldiers, but created a formidable force nonetheless. The Mujahedeen saw it as their civic duty to protect Afghanistan, and their religion, from foreign aggressors. While the Soviet military was able to conquer the urban centers relatively quickly, the countryside was a different issue. The equipment that the Soviets had was large, heavy and cumbersome. It was not designed for mountain warfare. Neither were the soldiers themselves. The geography soon became an issue for the Soviets, not unlike the many invaders of Afghanistan before them. The Mujahedeen, on the other hand were accustomed to the environment, and used it to their advantage. The war was long, and costly. By most accounts, the Soviets would lose almost fourteen thousand soldiers, where Afghan estimates were impossible to account. The countryside of Afghanistan was in ruins. Much of the cities had been bombed and destroyed. In April, 1987, the Soviet government signed the Geneva Accords, which included a timetable for Soviet withdrawal. By February of 1988, the last Soviet troops would leave Afghanistan, defeated, battered, and bruised. According to the Soviet accounts, they had not been defeated, they had just given up. They tired of the fight, and came to the decision that Afghanistan was no longer of importance. The Mujahedeen, on the other hand had fought valiantly, and were now left to rebuild. What remained in Afghanistan would become utter chaos. Many of the groups that were fighting alongside each other against the Soviets were now fighting each other for power and control. To the outside world, it appeared that the Mujahedeen had defeated the Soviets. The only task remaining in unifying Afghanistan again was to remove the "puppet" government that remained from the Soviet invasion. This proved to be more difficult than originally thought. The Mujahedeen was very well versed in guerilla tactics, but when they attempted a full frontal assault on the remaining PDPA stronghold, Jalalabad, the results were catastrophic. When the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, they left behind equipment and munitions that were seized by the remaining Afghan government. As a result, the Mujahedeen were decisively beaten back. In addition, The Mujahedeen had never mounted such a large scale conventional attack before, and their Command and Control network was in disarray. Fighters would refuse to fight for another Commander, fighters would come and go as they pleased, and commanders fighting amongst each other were serious problems that the PDPA was able to capitalize on. As a result, the PDPA was able to remain in control of Jalalabad, and even gain back several other key areas. The period after the end of the Soviet invasion was as difficult and filled with conflict as during the war years. The groups that formed the Mujahedeen splintered, and several groups opposing groups were formed. The groups then began fighting amongst themselves for territory, equipment, and money. this resulted in the first of two periods of Civil Wars in Afghanistan. The first period of Civil War began in 1989 and lasted until 1992. During this time Afghanistan was under siege, only this time by its own countrymen. Warlords became a common means of governing in Afghanistan, especially in remote areas. The second period of Afghan Civil War began in 1996, and lasted until 2001. It was during this period that saw the birth of a brutal regime called the Taliban. It was also during this time that Pakistan was attempting to influence the politics within Afghanistan. It is important to note that during this period Pakistan was attempting to influence the politics in Afghanistan. Additionally, a wealthy Saudi Arabian named Osama Bin Laden who was residing in Pakistan during the war was a financier of several Mujahedeen groups during the war with the Soviets. His family owned and operated the largest construction Company in the world, and he used that knowledge to assist the Mujahedeen in constructing caves, tunnels and bunkers in eastern Afghanistan. He also claims to have fought in the jihad, and participated in several ambushes. Not long after the war, Bin Laden became disillusioned with the fighting between the various mujahedeen groups, and returned to Saudi Arabia. Once back in Saudi Arabia he created an organization aimed at assisting Arab veterans of the Afghan war. He provided support to as many as 35,000 Arab veterans who were now among the world's most experienced fighters in unconventional warfare. The group, named Al Qaeda (The Base) was indeed as a veterans group, but also could be called to action to undertake new operations if needed. It would not be long before the entire world would come to know his name. Around the spring of 1994, a small group of like minded radical Muslims began to gain momentum in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban ideology would spread, and in 1996 the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan. The ideology of the Taliban gained strength due out of necessity. The local communities were in complete chaos, and lawlessness ruled. "A local strongman raped several girls in the south in the summer of 1994 . Local people turned for help to a mullah named Mohammed Omar and he in turn called on some of his religious students. These men executed the criminal, and intimidated his followers. The ranks of the Taliban grew in direct proportion to the society's desperate need for order". The Taliban were able to answer a call that the nation needed at the time. They were able to regain control over areas that had become a criminal haven. As a result, the call for the Taliban became greater, and so did their numbers. As they gained strength and numbers, they began gaining territory as well. The siege of territory began by seizing a large cache of guns and ammunition in the village of Spinbaldak. They then used these weapons to recover a Pakistani convoy that had been captured by a warlord in Kandahar. The Taliban continued, and captured Kandahar. Over the next few months, the Taliban would capture twelve more provinces, and it's ranks swelled by the thousands. The people truly believed that the Taliban were good for the people. In areas that they captured, they replaces chaos with a strict adherence to strict Islamic principles. Once in power, The Taliban asserted their power. Rule under the Taliban was harsh and severe. The Taliban were extremely harsh on women, forcing them to abide by strict Islamic interpretations. Girls were not allowed to go to school, women were unjustly mutilated and killed in public for small infractions. Anyone who defied the Taliban were dealt with according to their interpretation of Islamic law, and put out for public display. The Taliban and their allies committed massacres against Afghan citizens, denied access to food supplies to Afghan citizens, and burned thousands of acres of land destroying homes and crops essential to the people...All in the name of maintaining control and power. The Taliban exercised control by instilling fear in the people. By late 2000, the Taliban controlled most of Afghanistan, except for the small portion of the north that a group called "the Northern Alliance" controlled. The Northern Alliance, headed by a former Mujahedeen Commander named Ahmed Shah Massoud, was proving to be a formidable adversary to the Taliban and their strict interpretation of Islamic law. In an effort to gain control of this last remaining slice of terrain, the Taliban reached out to a former financier of the Mujahedeen, Osama Bin Laden, who had returned to Afghanistan in 1996 after arguing with his family over the outcome of the U.S. led Persian Gulf War. Bin Laden and the Taliban had a formidable relationship, mainly because Bin Laden was able to do what the Taliban could not; kill Massoud. On September 10, 2001 two Algerian journalists interviewed Massoud. They were not journalists, but Al Qaeda operatives. The operatives had a bomb emplaced in the lens of their camera, and detonated it. Massoud was killed as a result. What the Taliban did not know was that within twenty four hours another Al Qaeda operation was about to begin. This operation would have much greater impact on the Taliban, and Afghanistan as a whole.

September 11, 2001

The morning of September 11, 2001 was a typical morning in New York City. People were going to work, the streets in the finance district of the city filled with people. What would happen next would forever change America and put her on a crash course with Afghanistan. At 8:43 am American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into World Trade Center Tower 1 (North Tower), one of the Famous Twin Towers. At 9:03 am United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into World Trade Center Tower 2 (South Tower), the other of the famous Twin Towers. At 9:37 American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon. At 9:58 The South Tower, Tower two collapses. At 10:08, United Airlines Flight 93 crashes outside of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. At 10:28 The North Tower, Tower One Collapses. In total, 3,497 people were killed in the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, including the terrorists themselves. At 8:30 pm, President Bush addressed the nation, and states "The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts...we will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." It is believed that almost immediately, the President, and his cabinet believed Osama Bin Laden to be behind the attacks. Even so, the president was mindful to ensure that he would have a coalition of nations supporting him in a military operation against the Taliban. On October 7, 2001, almost a month after the towers fell, the U.S, along with coalition members, and Afghanistan rebels, the Northern Alliance engaged the Taliban in military operations. Unlike past operations, The Coalition Forces (CF) were Special Operation Forces (SOF) units from across all the services, and the CIA. By December 2001, the Taliban relinquished control over its last stronghold, Kandahar. This was not the end of the war however, nor was it the end of the Taliban. The Taliban realized that they were outnumbered, outgunned, and out trained. They simply went into hiding, and began conducting small scale guerilla style attacks. They used the media to encourage the local Afghans to rise up against the infidels, and that it was their Islamic duty to rid their land of the foreign invaders. The Taliban were attempting to "reinstate" the Mujahedeen that was so effective during the Soviet invasion. In doing so, generations of men whom had known nothing but war and conflict would engage the Coalition Forces, and many would die.

Conclusion The Coalition Forces established a temporary government to assist Afghanistan in rebuilding, and re establishing themselves from the brutal regime of the Taliban. The interim President, Hamid Karzai, would later become the first democratically elected President in the new era of Afghanistan. Fast Forward eleven years. The Coalition that was established in 2001 is still there, minus several key members. Osama Bin Laden is dead, killed in an attack on May 02, 2011 in a military village in Pakistan. The Taliban is still in Afghanistan as well, as are several insurgent groups. The Afghan military is up and running, although not without help. The Afghan National Police Force is operating in every city, and many small villages. The Afghan Government, still headed by Karzai is still the governing body, though most Afghanis have lost faith in his ability to lead. There has been progress in the Parliament in the form of a Constitution, and Provincial elections. The economy, fueled by the U.S. dollar is emerging, and growing. People are going to work. The average income is up, and unemployment is down. Children, including girls are going to school, and learning more than just Islamic studies. Enrollment in institutions of higher learning is up as well as the need for knowledge grows. So, what does all of this mean to the future of Afghanistan? In terms victory or defeat for CF, not much. It has still been the longest conflict that we have seen in generations. By comparison, Vietnam as a conflict lasted roughly ten years. We are moving on to year twelve now. First, this means that soldiers are now expected to be "warrior diplomats". According to Jessica Turnly, author of a paper entitled " Cross Cultural Competence and Small Groups: Why SOF are the way SOF are." the term "Warrior Diplomat" means “The Operator needs to be prepared to excel across the myriad of defense, diplomacy, and development activities…. while maintaining an unparalleled capability to employ direct action when necessary.” A lot has already been asked of our soldiers in the last ten plus years. War fighting on multiple fronts has taken its toll. Now, we are asking them to assist the Government of Afghanistan build the foundation of a new government. While there are a few small units specifically designed for this type of mission (Civil Affairs comes to mind) most militaries are not designed for this. SOF, through several new initiatives being taught at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School are training a new breed of soldier specifically trained for these type of missions. These SOF soldiers are more prepared to instruct government officials in the conduct of governmental affairs such as finance, military affairs, communications, infrastructure, and healthcare, while still retaining the warrior instinct. During the Soviet, and Taliban years, the Afghan economy was weak. Most of money earned by the people came from the cultivation of illegal produce such as the poppy plant,(used in the production of heroin), marijuana, and opium. At present times, the economy is in fact growing, but only because of the outside investment. Around every CF military installation, many of the locals are employed as interpreters, security guards, cooks, janitors, and laborers. The Afghan also government employs an estimated 30,000 civilians. This outside investment has brought up the economy up to a better level, but there is still a ways to go. Women's rights is an area that needs serious attention. While the rights of women are much better now than under the Taliban rule, there is still much improvement needed. Yes, girls are allowed to attend school, by legislative mandate. The Taliban and the insurgents still disagree on the education of girls. Girls schools are bombed on a regular basis, and many female leaders are murdered. In many remote villages, the rights of women have not changed. They are still repressed, and may are abused, and assaulted. The tradition of arranged marriages still occurs, and in many instances not for the benefit of the woman. Women are still viewed as the lesser gender, and as long as that attitude permeates the country, women will continue to have a difficult time. Security has always been, and is still an issue in Afghanistan. While Afghan Security forces are improving due to the training received by CF, they still lack equipment, and discipline. There is in fact a "clause" to every plan created jokingly referred to as the "Afghan Clause", meaning that if Afghans have anything to do with something, don't expect it to go as planned. Additionally, the Taliban still has a say, so to speak. The Taliban are still conducting attacks, and killing of innocents, leading the locals to not trust the capabilities of the Afghan Security Forces. Prior to the Soviet interests in Afghanistan in the early half of the Twentieth Century, the infrastructure of Afghanistan was very poor. Now, because of the outside investments from the U.S, China, and others, the infrastructure of Afghanistan is improving. Thanks to billions of dollars of outside investments, wells are being drilled, dams and schools are being built, roads are being constructed, and electricity and cell phone coverage is now available in remote areas. Again, this will last only as long as the Afghans have the security, knowhow, means, and the ability to maintain the systems that have been put in place for them. Healthcare is has always been, and is still an issue for many Afghans. Part of this is a cultural difference, but part of it is also an educational issue. Many of the older generations of Afghans are not educated on basic hygiene issues that cause disease. Additionally, many healthcare professionals are still concerned about the security issue in Afghanistan, and rightfully so. The Taliban is targeting many healthcare clinics and clinic workers claiming that they are a cover for other CF interests. The current state of hospitals and supplies for those hospitals is yet another issue. For a long time the insurgents have used the hospitals and clinics as a collection area. The result was theft and damage to the clinic. Healthcare should be a top priority to the government of Afghanistan, and with a little assistance from the various Non Governmental Organizations (NOGs) that are operating in the country, they should be able to further their abilities. I was in a conversation with a group of Afghan elders the other day. We were discussing the future of Afghanistan, and I asked them what they wanted for the future of Afghanistan. Their resounding answer is that they want what we have. The roads, the electric, the cars, the schools, jobs, security and rights. What I tried to explain to them is that it has taken us 236 years to get where we are, and we still have many problems that are years away from being solved. This was difficult for them to understand. After years of war, death, hand outs from other nations, and corruption from their own officials, the Afghans that I speak with on a daily basis have a hard time understanding that progress and modernization take time. I also asked them what the difference in the aftermath was between the Soviet invasion and the CF invasion. The response was interesting, and encouraging. The group that I spoke to told me that after the Soviet invasion, no one liked the Soviets, and that was the one reason that the Mujahedeen was so effective against the Soviets. In contrast, many Afghans like and trust the CF, and believe that the CF are intent on doing good for the future of Afghanistan. Yet what I see on a daily basis is encouraging. I do see signs of progress. After forty years of constant conflict, one day, Afghanistan will have to stand on its own. Afghanistan's history does in fact have an impact on its present, as well as its future success. It has made strides to improve, yet still has a long way to go. They realize that while their system is not perfect, and needs improvement, that the future of Afghanistan is in fact getting brighter every day.

Bibliography

1. Tanner, S. (2009). Afghanistan: A Military History From Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban (Rev.ed) Philadelphia, P.A. : Da Capo Press

2. Joint Special Operations University (March, 2011). Cross Cultural Competence and Small Groups: Why SOF are the way SOF are (JSOU Report 11-1). Mc Dill Air Force Base, FLA. Tunrley, Jessica Glicken.

3. Afghanistan: A Country Study (2004).
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4. Gant, J (2009). One tribe at a Time: A Strategy for Success in Afghanistan. Los Angeles, CA. Nine Sisters Imports, Inc. http://blog.stevenpressfield.com. 5. Political Military Analysis Handbook (April, 2006) Unclassified. United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, NC.

6. http://www.quotegarden.com/war.html- Famous quotes about war- President George H. Bush addresses the nation on September 11, 2001.

7. http://timeline.national911memorial.org/- A timeline outlining the events of September 11, 2001.

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[ 1 ]. US ARMY POLMIL Handbook, US Army 2004 p2
[ 2 ]. http://www.quotegarden.com/war.html- Famous quotes about war.
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[ 4 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 236
[ 5 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 235
[ 6 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 243
[ 7 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 243
[ 8 ]. Afghanistan: A country Study, 2004
[ 9 ]. Afghanistan: A Country Study, 2004
[ 10 ]. Afghanistan: A Country Study, 2004
[ 11 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 285
[ 12 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 279
[ 13 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 279
[ 14 ]. Afghanistan, A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War Against the Taliban, Tanner 2003 p 287
[ 15 ]. http://timeline.national911memorial.org/
[ 16 ]. http://www.quotegarden.com/war.html
[ 17 ]. JSOU (March, 2011). Cross Cultural Competence and Small Groups: Why SOF are the way SOF are . Turnly, 2011
[ 18 ]. http://timeline.national911memorial.org/
[ 19 ]. Personal conversation with village elder during a Key leader Engagement, Shah Mazar Village, Logar Province, 2012
[ 20 ]. JSOU (March, 2011). Cross Cultural Competence and Small Groups: Why SOF are the way SOF are . Turnly, 2011
[ 21 ]. Afghanistan: A Country Study, 2004