Foreign Intervention In Afghanistan is Futile

‘Only Afghans can change their own society’ Guardian foreign correspondent, Jonathan Steele has said.

The author of ‘Ghosts in Afghanistan’ told a public meeting at City University that it’s ‘hopeless for foreigners to intervene’.

Steele, who first visited Afghanistan in 1981 and has reported about the country for over 30 years, called for foreign money to go towards aid not warfare.
He said foreign intervention increases weapons manufacture and killing. The continuation of foreign intervention was questioned heatedly at the meeting; Steele claimed that US combat troops will just be re-named as trainers and engineers, still armed and uniformed.

He attempted to debunk myths that military interference is a responsibility not to ‘abandon Afghanistan’ - as stated by various politicians such as foreign secretary William Hague (MoD). He also highlighted that Afghans, being ‘more conscious of ethnic identity’ fear a religious or sectarian civil war, similar to neighbouring countries like Iraq.

Afghanistan has been in a state of war since 1983, but it is not a poor country. It has more than £1trillion in raw materials. Despite this, Afghanistan still ranks 2nd in the world for poverty (UNICEF). The Guardian correspondent used these statistics to call for more international aid at the meeting.

The war correspondent described how Afghans were originally ‘delighted’ the Taliban were overthrown. They were hopeful that foreign intervention would bring money and better living conditions. However, as Steele poignantly told City University, 9 years later Afghans are now dubious of foreigners. After seeing a stalemate war with no benefits, local Afghans propose talks with their ‘brothers the Taliban.’ The Taliban have been in Afghanistan since 1986.

Highlighted as another failed attempt at foreign intervention, Steele spoke of the previous war between Russia and Afghanistan which ended when inherited to the new Russian leader, who ceased military action.

Foreigners also can’t change women’s rights in Afghanistan, Steele claims. It is ‘so deeply embedded’; Steele said when questioned about the mistreatment of women, (or ‘Baeed’ as it is known in Afghanistan) it cannot be changed by outside influence. The culture of using women like cattle is deeply engraved in Afghanistan’s culture from rural areas into the cities. The culture of abuse did not start from the Taliban; it is an age old way of solving ‘blood feuds, resulting in many child marriages’.

Child labour in Afghanistan is a major issue that was also discussed. Many children work in Opium fields. A member of the meeting asked if it could be swapped for onion and carrot picking labour, but Steele said it will be ‘a struggle to eradicate the poppy fields’ due to their profitability.
When women and children’s rights were discussed further, Steele was questioned ‘what’s wrong with foreign intervention to stop these things?’ Steele responded by stating the need for peace as a human right is far greater to Afghans than any other human right.

The veteran correspondent, who started out as a political activist when studying economics at Yale, also gave advice on reporting in countries such as Afghanistan. Giving away his motto to ‘stay angry but don’t shout’ - referring to his own motivational ‘low intensity anger’ about Afghanistan politics. Steele also advised using alternative methods of transport when reporting, being able to deal with difficulty getting through checkpoints, the need to stay committed, and to have a compromising partner. He listed occupational hazards as ‘cynicism, nicotine and alcohol’ to any aspiring to report on foreign intervention in countries like Afghanistan.

Steele read extracts from his book: ‘Ghosts in Afghanistan’ to reiterate his experiences and knowledge of the country.
More information on similar public events at City University can be found at: http://www.city.ac.uk/events.