The Taliban as a Contemporary Threat to Democracy
In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the United States established a significant presence in Afghanistan with an initial goal of defending our democracy and protecting Americans at home. Eventually, President George Bush decided to add to the goal, expressing an interest in establishing a democratic Afghan government. This required intensive military effort and all sorts of aid as the United States and its Afghan allies had to resist the Taliban and other internal problems. For several years, the country enjoyed growth in business, an expansion of rights for women, and a thriving free media. There was also significant progress towards a democratic government, with parliamentary and presidential elections taking place under American guidance. However, corruption was abundant within the government and military, with many old warlords influencing decision-making on many levels.
The aforementioned issues within the new Afghan government as well as the lengthy duration of the conflict began to have substantial adverse effects on public support for the American government and our own system of democracy. Due to this trend, recent presidential candidates have made their policies regarding Afghanistan a major part of their platform with many expressing an intent to withdraw from the country. This year, President Biden finally took the final steps towards withdrawal (the last soldier left just a few days ago as of this writing), leaving Afghanistan in a fragile state.
To the surprise of some, old problems came back almost immediately. The Taliban started to reconsolidate power and by mid-August had returned to the capital of Kabul. The previous (partially) democratically elected government was overthrown and the Taliban oligarchy assumed power. This is obviously a consequential development, as the Taliban’s previous reign was marked by widespread oppression, violence, and tyranny. The situation in the country has already started to take a turn for the worse with thousands of Afghani citizens fleeing to the airport in Kabul out of fear of what could result from the change in government. Images of families trying to give their children to American soldiers and chasing planes leaving the airport have emerged from the capital, demonstrating the genuine desperation that has accompanied the collapse of the government and the return of the autocratic Taliban. It seems that there is little hope for the return of democracy for the foreseeable future.
The failure of the United States and its Afghani allies has not only dashed hopes for democratic government in Afghanistan but also eroded confidence in the American government and the ideas behind democracy as a whole. If democracy is as fragile, vulnerable to corruption, and ineffective as it was in Afghanistan, how can we continue to intervene in other parts of the world in the name of democracy? The current situation sets a very negative precedent for the efficacy of American “assistance” and our democratic policies. Afghanistan is also not the first state in the Middle East to undergo such tumultuous changes, as countries like Iraq and Syria have also experienced failed democratic systems and long-term violence.
To be sure, there are certainly additional circumstances like sectarian violence and terrorism that make democracy difficult to establish and maintain. This makes intervention in the name of protecting democracy a tricky concept, leading some to consider this stated purpose as misleading. These opponents of American intervention instead view our actions as motivated by self interest, exacerbating some negative perspectives on democracy. On a domestic level, this can affect public support for the government and their foreign policy, a controversy dating back as far as Vietnam.
In order to maintain democratic legitimacy and popular support, the Biden administration will have to take decisive action regarding Afghanistan. This has become even more pressing due to the recent terrorist attacks by the IS-K that killed several American soldiers at the airport in Kabul. President Biden faces a multi-faceted dilemma that will inevitably have significant implications in regards to America’s intent to protect the citizens of Afghanistan and their goals of creating a democracy. Personally, I feel as if a firm and determined response by the Biden administration is necessary for a number of reasons.
First, the safety of the Afghan people is in serious jeopardy as the Taliban seem to be back to their old ways. If America does not intervene in some way, millions will be oppressed and any chance of democratic government in the country will vanish. Second, there is also concern that this failure of democracy in one part of the world could spread to others, especially within the Middle East. Instability in this particular region has historically been rather contagious, making the threat to democracy even greater. Deciding not to act may also create the expectation that the United States is unwilling to protect its citizens, allies, and ideas. This implication is perhaps more impactful in the long term and has to be considered alongside any past or future foreign policy decisions.
We can only hope that President Biden and his administration act with these goals and potential implications in mind as the hopes for democracy in Afghanistan and across the world rest on their shoulders.
