Hikmatyar’s Proposal in Best Interest of US

Head of Hizb-ul-Islami Afghanistan, Gulbadin Hikmatyar, has announced a plan for resolving the Afghan crisis. According to this plan, this year's month of July has been set for the withdrawal of foreign forces and it has been advised that they should pull out of the country in six months time. Meanwhile, Afghan police and military should be given the responsibility of maintaining law and order.

Operation in Helmand
Gulbadin Hikmatyar has offered to provide a dignified way out to the United States on several occasions but it is not only him whose advices are being ignored but the recommendations of people like James Jones are also not being followed. James Jones had made it clear a few months ago that Afghanistan can be a graveyard for hundreds of thousands of Americans, but it is impossible to defeat the Afghans.

However, instead of paying attention to this warning, America has started a big operation in Helmand. The Taliban went into hiding in mountains as part of their strategy and ordinary people started becoming targets. Now, the United States is planning to carry out a military operation in Kandahar and its result will not be any different from the operation in Helmand.

War Against Terrorism
After the end of Russian occupation in 1980s, the United States had apparently come for the help of Afghans. However, after accomplishing its objectives, the United States left the Afghan people unaided and this was when bloodshed was initiated. After the Taliban came into power, peace was restored in Afghanistan, but the United States once again devastated Afghanistan for arresting Osama Bin Laden. Pakistan was also affected as a result of this conflict. The war against terrorism was being fought in Afghanistan but it was Pakistan that was incurring damages.

Now, if the United States is attempting to withdraw from Afghanistan after carrying out massive military operations, it is just a delusion. The Taliban are experts of guerilla warfare and they are using the same strategy that was employed against the Russians. The US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces will ultimately have to incur losses.

Foundation for Durable Peace
As the United States is ready to negotiate with the Taliban and withdraw from Afghanistan, what is it waiting for? Hikmatyar's recommendations are in the interest of both Afghanistan and the United States.

If these recommendations are followed, foundation for durable peace can be laid in Afghanistan, which is definitely in the interest of other countries of the region as well, particularly Pakistan. Therefore, the US Government should do away with its stubbornness and uphold its status of a superpower. This is in the best interest of the United States; otherwise, the outcome will not be any different from Vietnam.