Peace in Afghanistan: : Role of Regional Countries and United States

Muhammad  Khan; Shabir Ahnmad Khan

doi:10.54418/ca-85.8

Authors

Muhammad Khan Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Shabir Ahnmad Khan Professor & Director, Area Study Centre (Russia, China & Central Asia), University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54418/ca-85.8

Keywords:

Afghanistan, peace process, CBMs, United States, Russia, China, stakeholders, Taliban and negotiations

Abstract

The year-2019, marked the 40 years of instability and chaos in Afghanistan, ever since it was invaded by former Soviet Union in December 1979. In the last forty years, the Afghan instability and conflict has been so transmissible that any peace plan, initiated even with sincerity got entombed into viscid domestic ambiguities, undesired regional rivalries and geopolitical interests of great powers. Owing to internal instability and frequent foreign invasions, there could not develop a cohesive national character within Afghanistan. Besides, there has been no institutional build-up and development which could have provided a strong base for the establishment of good governance system. In the absence of domestic peace and a unanimously acceptable leadership, the invaders and regional players have been exploiting Afghan geopolitics and its diverse societal makeup. Above all, the poor economic system, lack of needed resource base and massive unemployment constrained the flexibility, the Kabul regimes could have utilized for the minimum economic management at the domestic level. Furthermore, the post 2014 drawdown of US and NATO forces did not provide conducive environment where Afghans could have taken independent decisions to determine their future course of action for the larger national interest of the state and masses. The paper takes a critical analysis of the above-mentioned factors, which impeded peace process from taking firm roots in Afghanistan. The paper also puts into debate the US strategic interests in and around Afghanistan and diverging interests of regional countries which further impede peace process in Afghanistan.

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