Dr Paul Amen AifuwaIN pursuance of the heinous onslaught of Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the NATO troops and the US-led Allies headed for Afghanistan; to pre-empt any further sordid event, and prevent Afghanistan from being used as a criminal hideout to launch such deadly attack, even after apprehending Osama bin Laden. The operation had lasted for 20 years; on the eventual resolution to vacate the scenes, May 31, 2021, was the target as the initial date.
But owing to circumstances, ironically, this date was delayed until last week; when the sudden announcement of the US withdrawal of her troops, sent RIPPLES throughout the World.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThis resulted in the frenzied stampedes of people, that came into commotion at Kabul Airport. This was followed by a bedlam of hue and cry, with recriminatory blames among the Allies; who saw such action as having lent a leeway for the Taliban to meander a re-entry of the political Seat of Power in Afghanistan, when the forces, this time around, were not “standing at attention”.
From the turn of events, such action led to a CLASH in which the US and other nationals, were in panic struggles to quit Afghanistan, amidst the curious crises and chaos which had snowballed into a wild and dreadful scene, which looked like one, in which the US was not oblivious of the likelihood that the Taliban would quickly take advantage of the “security” lapses that were prevailing – an unfortunate situation which got so messy and complicated as it played out.
SHOCKING HORRIFIC BOMB BLAST THAT ADDED TO THE COMMOTIONS
As the evacuation RUSH-MOMENT was going on, at the “stampede-begrimed” gate of the Kabul Airport, two suicide bombers detonated high calibre bombs, that perished over 170 people including 13 American servicemen; and over 200 people injured on Thursday, the 19th.
This earth-tremored incidence sent shock waves that demoralized all segments of our humanity – against which President Joe Biden had spontaneously promised a reprisal action to avenge the losses.
This which was expressed in a downcast emotion, betrayed an uncanny exasperation and despairs; that reflects with regrets and the brooding over his depth of concerns, the incalculable expense of resources, let alone the blood, sweats and tears of the partnering Allies over the last 20 years; to have posed rhetorically: “would all these have come to nought”? Meaning that “we were back to square one” when such a reprehensible and dastardly incident could be a “recurring decimal”? To which one would say NO; as the world felt huge empathy for your adventure, and had not been indifferent to the course of the US and the NATO Allies on the Afghanistan mission.
IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU
This is a sequence which draws global pity and solidarity for the immeasurable extent of anguish and pain which are felt by the pre-eminent and the noble phalanxes of your Allies; knowing that you are in the protocol of hierarchies as the heads of Governments, who stand as next in command to the Creator; and hardly should anything daunting or nonplussed ever overwhelms you; as long as your actions are in line IMPARTIALLY, in defence of the vulnerable and the helpless; while you soldier on to prevent similar attacks against innocent people any further as “kings who can do no wrongs”; as you are altruistically at the helms of affairs of the world, so long would all men of goodwill be with you, in prayers, that your ennobling showing can never fail to attract the transcendental blessings and adequate reward of the Almighty! This is to enjoin you to sue that the principles of democracy are kept ALIVE and SHINE accordingly; to uphold that the lives of the humans are sacrosanct; and that he who knows next to nothing about the rudiments which constitute the CONSTRUCT of the human life (that are ONLY familiar to the Creator), should dare not trifle neither contemplate to plot the mass-destructions of any such lives.
Brethren of the West, be strong! While you should not yet be reposed, knowing that there are still some great deals of “work” left to be DONE on your commitments in Afghanistan; as “evacuation” stretches to a safety end; while a more significant breakthrough yawns for your attention still ahead; which might serve as a salutary titration, to be double sure as the net of solutions in regards of the matter-arising as regards the Taliban; which no matter how twisted and entangled, it is but a HUMAN PROBLEM!
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At this juncture, and as hitherto muted, what is needed is the resilience in poise and restraint: SINCE WHAT HAD HAPPENED HAD HAPPENED; to which one would ascribe a dose of solace, that may suffice from the prayers of the Theologian Reinhold Neibuhr, which goes as:
God grant me the SERENITY to
ACCEPT the things I cannot CHANGE,COURAGE to change the things I can,
and the WISDOM to know the DIFFERENCE.
In such a situation that heightens the climate of fears, which threatens that the Taliban would re-enact what the people of Afghanistan saw, (having experienced it once), as inclusive of excessive violation of human rights, intemperate and barbaric behaviours against their fellow citizenry, especially the women, as the order of some of the political deliveries, through these 20 years ordeals, it was time to be wiser from the experience, as “once beaten twice shy”.
This was despite that this time around, the Taliban officials had hitherto, publicly renounced some of those “tenets” which formed the Operandi Vivendi and the lifestyle of their past rulerships; which they said they have jettisoned – as part of turning a new leaf; in adjusting to the befitting social norms and standard of behaviours that augur for modernity in the 21st century.
Yet, there are some fellow compatriots who are not, in the least, enamoured by their “public avowal”; which revolves around the FEARS that this is “an attempt to cajole the people”, who are still panic-stricken, worrying to get away from a place which they had seen as REAL AND CLEAR DANGER, for as long as the Taliban are in power; although, arguably, such thoughts remained in the figment of the IMAGINATION OF WHO BEHOLD SUCH FEAR OF FEAR – the Taliban, having hitherto, pledged the reversion of some of the draconical “clauses” of their past political antecedents.
Though such circumspections and cautions on the part of the people who are now at the receiving end, may not entirely lie in their naivety or outright misgivings, as he “WHO SAW IT KNOWS IT AND FEELS IT”. Neither does a “child once burnt by fire would ever never fail to recognize and dread it”? Except if graphically and vehemently reassured that the ember of the flames and the fires have been contained and COMPLETELY DOUSED!
By extension, this is to contextually request, that all “BLAME GAMES AND RECRIMINATIONS” should stop; so as not to undermine, neither diminishes the preponderous and arduous efforts, nay the enormous resources expended over the last 20 years; of the overall sacrifices on Afghan’s wars, to end up in the chains of another dominant WAR OF ALTERCATIONS AND ENDLESS QUARRELS, ironically, between the heroic group who have, all along, been on top of the course of the mission; as implied by the nods of the divinity.
But now that the war has ended the way it ended, let’s grant it with a total acquiescence, that it was the same unseen hands of the Creator (as one who rules over the earth), that motioned its abrupt ending. This is being for the special and particular interest of the USA, whose course it was that spurred the bandwagon of ALL OTHERS, to rightly and necessarily prosecute the Afghanistan wars. This, which is for obvious reasons – recalling the tragic and nostalgic retrospects that climaxed the events of September 11, 2001, in America. Even though the war was yet to record its fullest objectives in Afghan, but IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT THE 20 YEARS’ PRESENCE OF NATO’S COMBATANTS, WAS A SIGNIFICANT TIGRITUDE, more than enough as an impactful deterrent statement!
All this having been said, it must be gratifying that either from our personal or group levels, must have derived USEFUL LESSONS from the helluva of the narratives as above: where in retrospect, should anyone were to have been a part of the victims, in the near 3,000 people who lost their lives, in the vexed eerie incident that took place, would it had mattered to the same people WHICHEVER WAY the course was pursued and prosecuted to avenge the culprit(s)? Such rhetorical question could only lead to exposing, much as it exacerbates, how short-lived are the human memory and the cognate hypocrisy of man.
What is worthy of NOTIONS, therefore, is for anyone to HARBOR SUCH MAGNITUDE OF DESTRUCTIVE IDEAS, he or she should first invoke his inner conscience, as his or her autonomous guardian-angel, to help prevent such abominable and grave MISDEED; which would tantamount to the consequences that do not only attract the mass-fury of the world but instigate the climax reaction from the Almighty to whom such lives belong.
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FOR THE WAR TO END PERMANENTLY REQUIRES A TACKLE FROM THE CAUSE
The foregoing being instructive for the special attention of our Taliban brethren, just as it would aptly augur for our gentile Allies; to align resplendently with nature thus: “NOT TO THROW AWAY THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER”: WHILE APPEALING THAT YOU ALLOW PEACE TO REIGN; TO ACCEPT THE TALIBAN BACK INTO THE UNIVERSAL FOLD; in the hope that their political administration may factually mean well; and have completely changed for the better, and may have actually metamorphosed from their ”anti-people” policies of the previous political debuts, and are now ready to UNITE in harmony and gloriously fly into the warm embrace of the rest of the world; as they may have sufficiently learnt lessons, from the past embarrassing political dispensations; which “obnoxious policies”, serve as an IMPLANTED SCARECROW, which harasses and intimidates away her own people! When the majority of those they are privileged to lead, have the cause to develop anxieties and exasperations, as to have the frenetic urge to flee their native land; to seek freedom elsewhere!
WHERE TO ZERO IN ON A FOCUS FOR REDRESS
THIS IS THE NEXUS AND THE HUB AND THE BASE THROUGH THE CAUSE, WHERE TO DIRECT THE TROUBLESHOOTING. Needless to say that all laws of nations and sovereign states are derived from the affairs and conduct of a given people; and it is this body of legal rules that seek the standard and norms that must apply therein, which should integrally flow, relatively, with international treatise.
It is at this point, at a glance, you would find in THEIR BOOKS, of what bears officials’ indiscriminate interpretation of the laws, that live much to their whims and caprices; such that sway the law, always at the mercy of the officials in the ruling emirates of the Taliban; WHICH POINTEDLY GAVE THEM UP, at the instance in which they publicly admitted to “making mistakes”, in the course of governance, while addressing the journalists during the week. Whereas such as “their mistakes” and “their own interpretations” of the law, BEAR a SMEARING on the system which becomes precarious and unreliable – a situation that creates confusion and begets ALL THE TROUBLES for the government and its people. THIS REQUIRES TO BE STREAMLINED, TO HELP IN “PRUNING” THE LAWS TO A STABLE AND FIRM STATE; to bring its tenets nearest the level of universal standard.
This gleaned observation props up an urgent NEED for immediate REMEDIAL of Orientation and Enlightenment programme put in place; a classic forum, for the joint co-operation and collaboration of the Christians and Muslims; to deliberate on the general “extracts” of the laws and policy execution which binds on the governments of the day.
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TO EVERYTHING THERE IS TIME!
IN THE AFTERMATH OF ALL THIS, THE TIME IS NOW RIPE FOR THE WORLD TO HAVE AN UNEQUIVOCABLY MORE STABLED SOCIETY – A FOREGROUND, THAT IS A FIRST OF ITS KIND SANCTUARY; WHERE TO SINK ALL DIFFERENCES ARISING FROM RELIGIOUS IDEALOGUES… WHERE SCHOLARS OF THE CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS’ ALLIES MEET TO EXAMINE AND RUB MINDS ON THE GENERAL STATE OF THE WORLD; which enlists the vetting and reviewing policies of governments, before passage into functional use; especially in the troubled REGIONS: with the hope to redirect and impact the mindset of the lawgivers, to have them mellow towards avoidance of “junks clauses” of the law, which effects are worthless and a non-starter, which border on the FUNDAMENTALS, with regards to the lives of the people under their governance; where a symbolic bottom line is to serve as sufficient “deterrent”, for the sustenance of PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE POLITIES OF THE WORLD.
This would be at the behest of the West (BEING THE DEMOCRATIC FATHERS OF THE WORLD); to be established as: International Institution for the CONTINUED EXPANSION AND ENLIGHTENMENT of religious knowledge; through such a well-intentioned collaboration which may lead to MUTUAL PERSUASION THAT MAY REKINDLE FILIAL TOUCH, THAT MAY BIND AND RECONCILE THE TWO BODIES, FOR THE OVERALL BENEFITS OF HUMANITY AT LARGE: when amongst other things, such symbiotic interaction may spur voluntary mutual understanding, on what matters most, to help juggle the tunes of the law; to expunge and rake out the irritant conditions that are not humanly suitable from the system: and with the two bodies in a consensus, the rejected “tenets” would be substituted with the CONDITIONS that are “mild” and more “tolerable”, EVEN IF ONLY TO SECURE THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL’S DEMANDS; and most importantly for the people not to be stirred, neither apprehensive, but feel “at home” unperturbably with the government and their administrations.
This is a sapient device that would be most appropriate to arrest all conflicts from the bottom-up: being an order of the FIRST THING FIRST, which may work wonders in all areas of the “flashpoints”.
AN AMICABLE TRUTH MISSION JUST FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF CONFLICTS
The Center to be known, perhaps, as The Greater Citadel of Hope TO BE PROBABLY IDENTIFIED AS EPONYMOUS IN MEMORIAL OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE INCIDENT OF THE 9/11; to be replete with institutional curricula in “humanities”; comparable to the Intern’l Court of Justice; where all skirmishes that emanate within the religious circles, are amicably marshalled out, in as satisfactory as is humanly possible; devoid of ANY PROSECURIAL TUSSLE OR LEGAL ARGUMENTATION; but relying on ONLY one thing: THAT IN ALL THAT IS THOUGHT, SPOKEN OR DONE, IN THIS PLACE, MUST IN ALL CIRCUMSPECTION, AGREE WITH WHAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WOULD SAY OR DO, TO THE APPEASEMENT OF ONE AND ALL: TO HAVE NOTHING ELSE LEFT THAT IS WORTHY OF ANY MORE THING TO SQUABBLES ABOUT. In other words, anyone or group, who must be in attendance must instinctively bear in mind to uphold a desideratum of truth.
The place where human understanding is animated and magnified to the highest; with deep mutual respect towards peaceful co-existence of all races: where all TERRORISTS – who are indeed humans, created in the image of the Lord, and who would therefore, be happy to consummate His likeness, especially with the compelling horison of the atmosphere of divinity, when they can’t but demurely and willingly succumb to the sobre peace initiatives of this NOVEL sort, by the WESTERN HIERARCHIES, and some select members of the Islamic communities; who would have the privilege and opportunity to “air their views, or grievances”; and would, by way of remorse, admit to the lugubrious and untold pains they had inflicted on the World; NOT to attract a comeuppance or the deserved punishment, but to which they would “purge out” to tender epic apologies; which shall mark a moment of REDEMPTION and FORGIVENESS by virtue of the prevailing INITIATIVE of TRUTH MISSION; when they would be told: “Go and Sin No More”; which shall mark the “burial of all hatchets”.
This, which would be a significant BREAKTHROUGH with the great groundbreaking encounter, as the aftermath of this landmark, there shall be an ensuing pall of peace – THE REAL PEACE, cascading upon the World; as the age-old SORE and THORNY point of her limbs now yield to permanent healing!
FINAL SUBMISSION
By the foregoing context, one would crave the indulgence of the Pre-eminent and magnanimous fellow Brethren of the US, UK, Germany, France and the NATO Allies – who combined as the celestial PHALANXES OF THE WEST, THAT MAKE UP THE HIERARCHIES OF LEADERSHIP OF THE WORLD, that manifest as memberment of the representatives of God on earth, and therefore, considered “above board” (akin to Julius Ceaser’s wife), to bring your most considerate human understanding to bear on the Afghanistan situation at this auspicious time. WHEN THE OCCUPYING TALIBAN AND THE RAVAGING FELONS TOGETHER WITH THEIR KIND THEREIN, COULD HOWEVER PASS AS HUMAN SPECIES FROM THE HUES OF OUR CREATOR; the people who are viewed from the exterior, AS JOLLY GOOD FELLOWS; owing to the nature of their orientation and world view exposures; but whose perception of our ONE universal God, is in a somewhat different light and prism; as if His existence is in two parts – one part for Islam and the other part for the Christendom … But everyone, including the Muslim devotees, unarguably know this is NOT true!
It is on this nebulous and blurred premise that one would recall the hitherto APPEAL for the immediate Institution of a LEVELLING INSTRUMENTALITY, towards ENHANCING THE FACILITATION AND THE ELUCIDATION THAT THROWS MORE LIGHT ON ANY SUCH MISGIVINGS THAT MAY GENERATE CONFUSION, IN THE HOLY QURAN AND THE BIBLE; and for such myth to be addressed correctly, in favor of the CONGREGATIONS, in the efforts to reposition the pulpits of religion: to serve AS A FACULTY, where all differences that are due directly or vicariously from religion, the age long tangential rifts that trail the duality of Christians and Muslims all along, are resolved once and for all; THAT THERE BE HARMONY BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE A PEOPLE, CREATED BY THE SAME GOD, THE SAME ALLAH; IRRESPECTIVE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN FAITH AND DENOMINATION; with common quests and desires; that we may tarry not, and let us as human race, be focused on the MISSION for which WE were “drafted” HERE on earth: FROM WHICH WE HAVE BEEN FAR TOO DISTANT FOR LONG; even as the houses of worships are sanctimoniously on the PARADE everywhere; but let the dominant priority be centered towards whatever gloriously denotes the preservation of humanity – through the further exploration of the concept for religion; which elicits freedom and liberty for all souls, AS COMPLIMENTARY RUNNER-UP to DEMOCRACY, which you are in indefatigable, relentless and vigorous poise to defend and foster.
In all of this, it bears reiteration that THE KINDREDS OF THE TALIBAN AND THEIR COMPATRIOTS, BE ALLOWED A BREATHER, IN PRESERVE OF A SELF-ENLIGHTENED INTEREST; FOR THEM TO FIND THEIR FEET AS CHILDREN OF OUR WORLD; when we would soon stumble on the obscurely human treasures which reside in them; WITH A YIELDING PROSPECT THAT YOU WOULD RECOUP ALL YOUR MATERIAL LOSSES, and regenerate the emporium that would swell the wealth and prosperity in all spheres of the world!
After all said and done, one is gladdened to be incensed that you would graciously acknowledge all this, with a GESTURE, that is like applying an ANODYNE the HEALER, to an age-long wound, which wands and magic effect you readily see! On which note, you would stoically let the bygone be bygone: in comparison with “A CHILD WHO DEFIES SCOLDING, AND WHO IS BEATEN WITH THE LEFT HAND BUT PULLED BACK INTO A WARM ‘EMBRACE’ AT THE SAME TIME, WITH THE RIGHT HAND” (an African adage); by which vent and the same token, you would please, as The Fathers to all nations, NEVER HAVE CAUSE TO GO BACK INTO THE TRENCHES: that the physical and asymmetry wars may have atrophied to a dead-end, so as not to allow distraction to WAYLAY your way, but BE RENEWED IN VIGOR AND BE READY TO FIX UP THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, which are now at the zenith of a fatigue, gasping for respite; to de-escalate tensions that trigger and fuel other pockets of conflicts and wars in other sub-regions of the World; much more so to UNBURDEN the perpetual bondage that our Muslim brethren in Afghanistan had needlessly but more inadvertently imposed on themselves; but who have now come out anew, to be seen in a transformed and transfigured psyches and temperaments and spirits.
You would yet, therefore, invest resourcefully on a focus on the priority of SAFE evacuation of the stampeding crowds, who are now so profusely wearied at Kabul Airport. While we, again, take the “word” of the officials of the Taliban “for it”; and look forward to the leverage of the pledge of their said, “recounted pronouncements” of a “rebirth”; to turn a “new leaf ”; in political policies and tolerable, the amiable standard of social behaviours; that does not further aggravate or offend the psyches of their own people.
But should the US and the combined concerned Allies, still feel strongly not to give up beyond what hitherto been highlighted, they could feel free to fall back as a final resort, to meet with the highest hierarchy emirate of the Islam world – through his Eminence Suni Islam; whom, is believed as the prime moval of Islam, would have what it takes (in piety, propriety and unfailing justice), to prevail on the Taliban and fellow compatriots; which might bear a harbinger of SHINES on all that you had sought to achieve in Afghanistan; even as the suggested actions are most refined and unbelabored approach, it is without prejudice to earlier cautions of yours, that are reflective of a pendulum of excitation and ex-communication of the Taliban; from the functional mainstream events of the world. But only if situations still remained DESPERATE, should they chose to be recalcitrant still; knowing that they can hardly like to be an “outcast” and being “unfriendly” with the rest of the world; neither to have themselves skidded into an aloof “state of a pariah”.
Dr Paul Amen Aifuwa
(Reformer/Political Commentator/Analyst)
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