NOURNEWS - Seyed Abbass Hosseini in an interview with the site of Strategic Council of Foreign Relations stated that NATO in Afghanistan was practically commanded by the US and noted that in exiting its military forces from Afghanistan, NATO played no role but to follow the decisions made by the US.
He said disputes among NATO members on dividing the burden and responsibilities of war in Afghanistan were effective in spreading clashes in the country. While the US and the UK were generally engaged in the South of the country, other NATO members were almost resting with security in the North of Afghanistan. But since 2012 war and insecurity have been shifted to the North of the country.
The expert of Afghanistan continued:“ Although there are clear and unclear factors behind the process, but the very same kind of disputes caused the war to be extended from South to North and West regions where German, French and other NATO members were stationing.
Hosseini mentioned the concentration of each NATO member state on one or maximum two provinces and counted the disintegrated supervision of provinces as another reason for boosting insecurities in Afghanistan. He said:” Although foreign countries were under the supporting umbrella of NATO, but in practice they acted independently, separately and non-coordinated. Within the past 20 years, we were mostly witnessing run and chase operations against Taliban rather than their suppression. That’s why Taliban used the in-coordinated approach of NATO members and gained increasing power day by day.
He added:” One of the main reasons why Taliban gained power in Afghanistan was strategic mistakes made by the US and NATO forces in the country. They did not have enough understanding about ethnical and social structures of Afghanistan as well as ethnical links among them. That’s why they acted in disintegration from management and military points of view. NATO members were just happy because the flames of war were not dragged to the regions under their control! Taliban, therefore managed to use the disintegration and engage different regions with their military operations.
The researcher of Afghanistan pointed out to interactions and dealings of NATO members with Taliban in order to curb the extension of clashes to their controlled regions such as bribing Taliban by French forces. He noted that even in 2010-2012 we witnessed dealings of British forces with Taliban in which they transferred one or more towns to Taliban. Not only they did not exert any pressure to Taliban but also they had even recognized them.
Factors of power of Taliban today
Hosseini added that:” Lack of unity in leadership and dissatisfaction of NATO member countries for being in Afghanistan, made them have a weak, symbolic and cosmetic presence under the Americans’ pressure; the very reasons which contributed to empowerment of Taliban”.
Having stated that NATO was pursuing the US in political negotiations and had no direct talks with Taliban, but recognized the agreement with Taliban, he said the sudden exit of NATO forces from different regions of Afghanistan happened without any responsibility and coordination with the government of the country, and thus NATO members acted more-irresponsible than the US. Even German forces transferred monumental stone of war victims in Afghanistan in Mazar-e-Sharif that weighed about 40 tons by a military plane!
Hosseini described the training and equipping of police and military forces of Afghanistan as weak, corrupted, flimsy with many inefficacies and said:” NATO in general and Germany in particular acted unsuccessful and inefficient in the process of equipping, training and preparing the police forces. That’s why Afghanistan army has to play the police role in most of the regions.
Having criticized the US and NATO measure to decommission the previous military structure of Afghanistan and to establish a new one which was in clear contradiction with the previous one and explained:” The measures caused inefficiency of security system of Afghanistan and made a major security vacuum that showed itself with acceleration of exit process of the US and NATO from Afghanistan. Although the security forces of Afghanistan are brave and courage but the structure already built is incapable of leading, coordinating and carrying out operations. In the meantime, disarming of all Jihadi forces, Mujahedin and rank and file people have helped empowerment of Taliban.
Inefficiency of military equipment of Afghanistan government
The researcher of Afghanistan pointed out to the weakness and inefficiency of military equipment provide by NATO and the US to Afghanistan as well as the shortage of defensive – military capabilities and equipment and added:” This is the case when Taliban has no shortage in capabilities and equipment. That’s why they deal with the government from an higher position.
Hosseini referred to the US and Europe interventions in judicial system of Afghanistan, pressures to and oppositions against practicing justice on criminals in the country and said:” during the years of the presence of these forces in Afghanistan, the culture of exclusion made criminals exempted from bringing to justice and because of the corruption existed in the country, the criminals were freed and could return to battle fields.
US & NATO role in endangering stability and security in Afghanistan and the region
He stressed that:” with granting political legitimacy to Taliban, the US made the internal status of Afghanistan more complicated and endangered the stability and security of the region”. He spelled out:” The US bypassed and ignored the government of Afghanistan and sat at negotiating table with Taliban and bowed to their demands. In fact, the US promoted their position to her own level and we practically witnessed that the US granted political legitimacy to Taliban. Having understood the mistake made by the US, yet NATO did not protest against such measure. NATO acted as an observer and admitted to whatever the US brought about. It also helped the legitimacy of Taliban and continuity of the US approach.
Hosseini stated that:” As a result of the legitimacy that Taliban considers following negotiation with the US, it determines what to do for both the US and Afghanistan government. Despite the pledge made by Taliban not to attack large cities, but we witness their widespread attacks on large cities which shows that even Americans have no control over them!
SCFR