Oh my. Did you hear?
Afghanistan, you mean? Yes.
Somber conversations were taking place this weekend and we’re seeing an avalanche of analyses in various media outlets this week.
The Taliban has taken power in Afghanistan. It finally happened and it’s terrifying.
But what’s next?
To answer this question, we have to look not only into the future but very much into the past, too.
- Who created the Taliban?
- Who supported it?
- How did it change, as a political force, throughout the years?
- What’s the role of the US in all this and, more importantly, what are the ways in which it can now start actually helping the Afghan people?
- Can we recognise the Taliban as a ruling force? Wha happens if we do and what happens if we don’t?
- What are the best ways to help the Afghan people now?
Before I present an in-depth analysis of all of this, let me first point to an important difference in concepts here.
Nation-building can be seen as one colonial/imperialist concept.
If “Let us form a certain type of society and government for you…” sounds a bit (white)supremacist, that’s because it is.
Post-war reconstruction and humanitarian aid is a different thing, albeit also not without its criticisms.
The first one failed. The second one can – and should, if we care for the Afghan people – happen.
But how exactly? What would be needed?
I’m very proud to present an emergency webinar put together by CODEPINK, an organisation I have joined recently and am always excited to share what their experts have to say.
This is one long and in-depth conversation. I hope you enjoy.
(You can also listen to it on Spotify!)
Also, if you are wondering how you can actually help the people of Afghanistan, here’s one way:
Please consider donating to our fundraiser the funds of which are already going towards airlifting vulnerable women out of Afghanistan.
This is not the first time CODEPINK is providing this kind of assistance to Afghan women but we need your help to do it again.
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Justina Poskeviciute 