Fall of Afghanistan: A New Threat to the World

Robert Crohan/PantherNow

Robert Crohan/Staff Writer

I have a confession to make: the issue that got me involved in politics wasn’t voting rights, police brutality, reproductive rights or LGBTQ rights. It was terrorism, specifically from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS).

During the 2015-2016 school year, reports of ISIL’s threats to conquer America and strike its cities with nuclear weapons had me, before I knew how the world works, on edge. Plus, then-candidate Trump’s harsh rhetoric towards Muslims and Arabs not only offended me but left me especially nervous for my Muslim friends and peers. Could President Trump embolden, rather than defeat, ISIL?

These concerns rang in many Americans’ heads. And despite ISIL’s fiery defeat at Mosul, the organization appears ready to make a comeback in the Islamic “Emirate” of Afghanistan. This not only displays America’s failure to adequately contain terror of this sort but shows just how dangerous the Taliban’s triumph over Afghanistan is for the entire world.

This is highlighted by the horrific tragedy that unfolded at the Kabul airport: an ISIL-allied bomber executed 170 Afghans and 13 Americans, provoking a tit-for-tat with the US government: we responded with an airstrike against ISIL interests, as terrorist attacks were expected by President Biden. I can only anticipate more incidents like this, as American and Afghan failures to support an unstable country have bred an astronomic new challenge.

Specifically, a centerpiece of the new Taliban movement is the Haqqani Network. This is a network of militants with close links between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, including in the days of Osama bin Laden, that US lawmakers are rightly viewing with suspicion. This comes even after the Taliban pledged to keep Afghanistan from being used against foreigners. They are involved in criminal networks and have led a resistance against the US. In essence, with Haqqanis being appointed to new positions in Kabul, Afghanistan is set to become a terrorist state and should be labeled a state sponsor of terrorism.

Make no mistake, Al-Qaeda has been severely weakened and relies now on its local branches in Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. But, an Afghanistan with depleted or unsympathetic counterterrorism infrastructure could harbor Al-Qaeda operatives, along with ISIL, which opts for making its presence known anywhere it operates. Horrifyingly, ISIL conducted 77 attacks in Afghanistan from January through April of 2021, and the Taliban freed thousands of Al-Qaeda members from prison upon their siege of Kabul. Analysts are calling ISIL’s Khorasan affiliate especially dangerous.

The horrifying scenes of innocent Afghans frantically attempting to flee, as our forces abandoned them to the wrath of the extremists, are not only an inexcusable humanitarian tragedy but may harm us in other ways. Taliban overreach and US failures could provoke Al-Qaeda backlash, ISIL insurgency, or increased anti-western sentiment that extremists feed off of. Indeed, Al-Qaeda operatives enabled the Taliban insurgency and the Taliban has a history of lying about its supposed efforts to stop Al-Qaeda.

Much of my concern regarding then-candidate Trump was how his fiery rhetoric towards Muslims, and threats to bomb ISIL to no avail, would trigger discrimination and therefore feelings of resentment among struggling Muslims the world over. If ISIL rebounds, and continues to attack Americans, the cycle may repeat itself. 

And the world’s backlash against the Taliban regarding its treatment of women might paint a picture of Islam as inherently misogynistic in the eyes of non-Muslims, which the Taliban may desire, and ISIL certainly desires. The truth, of course, is that Islam is a tolerant faith that has a long history of female empowerment.

The Taliban, a fundamentalist militia and political organization that has twisted Islam for its political liking governed the country from 1996 until 2001 when the US coalition drove it out of Kabul. In those five years, Al-Qaeda was essentially protected, despite the Taliban’s opposition to 9/11, and refused to hand over bin Laden, prompting the nearly 20-year war. 

With the Taliban back in power, it can be assumed that the group’s relative friendliness with Al-Qaeda, and ISIL’s declared war against the Taliban, could generate extremist inter-fighting that has the potential to create room for terrorists to plan and execute attacks against American interests. Analysts are debating the likelihood of a terror revival, but I am convinced that the threat is severe, despite the Taliban’s strategic maneuvering. ISIL, whose Afghanistan branch was founded by disaffected Taliban fighters, may have raised its profile among extremists for the Kabul airport attack, like the Taliban. Entirely separate and even more brutal militias may emerge.

And it is not just America that is at risk. Russia and China, two of our adversaries that are close to Afghanistan geographically, are attempting to get close with the Taliban government. Both states see the Fall of Kabul as a significant blow to US global leadership, which they seek to undermine, but I am concerned about the potential for terrorist attacks on their soil. Indeed, much like Russia and China’s inroads in Afghanistan, American inroads with Saudi Arabia partially inspired 9/11. And Russia labeled the Taliban an illegal terrorist entity. Therefore, both states must proceed with caution.

The implications are clearly enormous. Besides the human rights violations sure to emerge from Taliban leadership, the hostile relationship between the US and the Taliban means that we may see a repeat of the “Syrian foreign fighters” dilemma, where global recruits for terrorist organizations might enter Afghanistan en masse, without the threat of US airstrikes.

Going further, Afghanistan and the countries surrounding it might suddenly become less safe for American travel. I intended to visit Afghanistan as a tourist, and can obviously no longer do so. And Afghan Americans, who best know and understand the country, should lead America’s fight against terror there.

A terrorist haven in Afghanistan will push a warning on Americans’ backs. As Floridians, we know too well what hate from overseas organizations can do to our communities. Attacks by ISIL, successful or failed, in Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale put us at great risk of senseless violence. There is not much we can do to fight back. Negotiation with the untrustworthy Taliban has clearly failed. America failed in Afghanistan, just as we failed in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, putting our citizens in danger as a consequence.

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community

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