Most are aware of the recent military withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan and the swift collapse of the proxy government. At present, a Taliban government, legitimized through U.S.-led “peace” talks, holds power over a country of nearly forty million people. The waging of war in Afghanistan extends beyond twenty years of direct military involvement by the United States. There is a long history of colonial occupations in Afghanistan and ongoing unrest that is fueled by competing interests from surrounding nations and the United States.
The magnitude of the cost to human lives, irreparable damage to the natural environment, and trauma of generations may be difficult for many of you to fathom. However, it is the daily reality Afghans face.