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Between the Awakening of ISIS and the Return of al-Qaida

Between the Awakening of ISIS and the Return of al-Qaida

Al-Arabiya, Saudi Arabia, December 17

Former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said: You can always count on Americans to do the right thing — after they’ve tried everything else. Nowhere is this statement truer than regarding America’s foreign wars, such as the ones in Afghanistan and Iraq. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan was confusing, leaving observers around the world with fundamental questions about what Washington succeeded in achieving, and where it failed, in its so-called “war on terror.” One of the most important goals of the American campaign in Afghanistan was to eradicate the terrorism that had grown and flourished in the mountains of Tora Bora and Kandahar, under the leadership of al-Qaida. Another goal, albeit a far more utopian one, revolved around the democratization of Afghanistan, a country that has always been considered the graveyard of empires. A few days ago, the commander of the US Central Command, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, testified before the US Congress and claimed that al-Qaida had already managed to restore some of its capabilities since the withdrawal of US forces from the country in August. The general further indicated that current Taliban leaders were divided over whether they would honor their pledge to sever ties with the group or not. In his testimony, McKenzie essentially acknowledged and admitted the fact that the departure of the US military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan was a mistake. McKenzie’s conclusion is jarring, not because of its substance, but because it was self-evident to everyone for a very long time. Even the most junior political and military analysts could have predicted the inevitable re-emergence of al-Qaida following the US withdrawal – especially considering the geopolitical turmoil in the region. The American confusion was clear in Iraq, as well, where the US left behind a force of about 2,500 personnel. One can appreciate the fact that the Pentagon doesn’t want to leave its soldiers in Iraq as easy prey for pro-Iranian militias. But what is less comprehensible is what the Pentagon was planning on doing with the resurgence of ISIS and its attempt to take over Iraq again. Between the return of al-Qaida and the awakening of ISIS, the Americans should think slowly and carefully rethink their strategy, both in the past and at present day. More specifically, they should really ask themselves: What could the US do to affect change in the world using soft power, and not only through hard force that has proven ineffective to date? –Amil Ameen (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)

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WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHANGE THE MISINFORMATION
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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR?
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