Why Afghanistan matters

This week, the world saw disturbing videos and photos from Afghanistan as thousands of Afghans tried to flee from their country as the notorious terrorist organization quickly seized power. The comeback of the Taliban was unforeseen by many, including the most sophisticated decision makers in Washington. In these early months into his presidency, the debacle in Afghanistan will not only seriously stain his foreign policy legacy but at the same time, open a lot of unimaginable consequences to the lives of countless Afghans and the security of the world. From this point on, the US will have to redeem any remaining shred of credibility among its allies and foes alike.

Domestically, President Biden is not spared from harsh judgments even from his own party. Several Democratic congressmen and senators are now calling for congressional investigations into this mess. Obviously, the administration is in full damage control operation as they try to find ways to minimize the wrath of the American people --from blaming the Trump administration, to President Biden describing the chaos as unavoidable, blaming the Afghan military for not wanting to fight, or going as far as throwing his own advisers under the bus for not giving him sound warning based on actionable intelligence. The most awful statement I read was that the administration is "hoping that the Taliban will provide safe passage" to the thousands of Americans still stranded in Kabul and other neighboring cities. It even boasts that there is a deal in place for the Taliban to allow Americans to evacuate peacefully. What pity and naivete? Here is the superpower of the world with the most advanced military firepower and the wealthiest nation on earth, “hoping” unforgiving mercenaries will guarantee the safety of its citizens.

The Afghanistan problem isn’t only an American problem. It’s also the world's major concern. All countries must now accept the fact that the Taliban is here to stay, whether they like or not. Already, China and Russia are now exploring ways to engage the Taliban for mutual interests and cooperation. And this is why Afghanistan matters for each of us. Remember, the Taliban was Al-Qaeda's coddler and protector. It was in Afghanistan, with the protection of the Taliban, that Bin Laden made his plans. It was in Afghanistan that suicide bombers were trained by ISIS before bombings in western countries. With these in mind, it isn’t a farfetched idea to consider Afghanistan as a breeding ground for future terrorists. And this affects even the Philippines. The Marawi siege, local ISIS affiliates, and the Abu Sayyaf come to mind.

Additionally, it’s widely feared that under Taliban rule, women's rights in Afghanistan will be severely curtailed. Until recently, Afghan women have enjoyed their freedom to work, education, and self-determination. With their avowed strict adherence to Sharia law, women will be relegated back to lower-class citizens.

On a personal level, while the fall of Afghanistan was unfolding I exchanged texts with a client whose family still lives in Afghanistan. We have filed a petition for his brothers who live in Kabul. His mother presently resides here in the US while their father chose to stay with his siblings. It’s a difficult time for their family right now as they are trying to find ways to get his father and brothers out of Afghanistan. In the meantime, his mother is in a state of panic, despair, and depression thinking about her sons’ fate will be if the Taliban find them.

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Cebu is still not out of the woods with COVID yet. I have learned of friends who have been infected, some even died. Everyone asks the same question; when will this end? To which nobody knows the answer. What we know is that vaccines are effective, mitigation protocols work, and that minimizing new cases and deaths is all up to us.