Afghanistan After The 9/11 Attack

“I am not someone who believes

We should build a fence around our country

But I do believe there ought to be some fairness

With respect to the rules of this globalization.”
-Byron Dorgan

Afghanistan was considered to be the country with the most progressive constitution in their region after the 9/11 attack. The country was able to come up with aligned foreign policies with the promises of Globalization and was able to establish connections with every country in the region and beyond for cooperation based on the commercial exchange of goods and services and persuade other countries to lay out money in their country. “A Globalized World will consist of united regions that have geographical, cultural and economic commonalities”, Hamid Karzai said. Are we sure as shooting that this is certain to occur? Is Globalization only after the sharing of common attributes among the regions in the world or a world of uniformity, a place where diversity and variations is missing? The Democratically Elected Leader and Parliament were said to have prepared the country for becoming a subject of positive globalization. When we say positive, it would involve benefit, advantage or good. Has Afghanistan really been a subject of positive globalization after the 9/11 attack?

Globalization, internalized as awlaama in Middle East, refers to the spread of ideas, customs, institutions and attitudes throughout the globe which is usually Western in origin. As a result, it has often been perceived as largely equivalent to westernization. People in Middle East usually see Globalization as an external threat rather than opportunity. Globalization in Middle East is marked by intrusive hegemony of the United States of America, Renewed Economic Dependency and Continuing Insecurity. Because of United States of America’s imposition of structural adjustment, unpopular and inequitable peace treaties and campaigns against terrorism, it led to a state of turbulent change and instability. It uses courses of action that are proved to be highly disruptive and a cause of new conflicts, hostile meetings of opposing military forces and exclusions throughout the world. It often acted as an obstruction rather than a force that would drive them to democratization.

My object of study in this paper is the globalization itself, its effects on the society, the governing authority and local culture of the colonized state. Discussion of the aftermath of the resistance and acceptance of Afghanistan to Globalization will be included in the paper. Furthermore, a discursive formation of how the military occupation of the United States as one of the dimensions of Globalization in Afghanistan will be considered in detail and subjected to analysis.

Globalization: Mother of Worldwide Terrorism

Globalization was supposed to contribute to the growth of democracy however it only led to an intensification of local and global conflicts just like in the case of Afghanistan. It became a haven for international terrorism. The 9/11 attack was considered to be the first war of the 21^st Century and the first major war in the age of globalization. It is an example of a newly globalized jihad by Osama Bin Laden and the multinational AlQaeda, a terrorist network intensely opposed to the United States that dispenses money and logistical support and training to a wide variety of radical Islamic terrorist groups. At the present, it has cells in 50 different countries spread throughout the globe. Osama Bin Laden and his Arab Afghan followers were partly US creations. They are against the United States of America not just because of the religious and cultural differences but also because of its continuous presence in Saudi Arabia, control over Arab Oil, siege of Iraq and other activities in Middle East. The origin of this problem can be traced back in the 1979 wherein armed Islamic groups, the mujahedin, who were trained by the United States of America and were formed to fight the 100,000 Soviet Troops and the Communist government they had installed. Afghans did not want these fighters to stay after the Soviet Troops left. The problem is that right after United States of America’s support of containing the communism in Afghanistan; they left the place with no functioning central government. If only they were able to put up an institution for governance, they could have forced the terrorists to move out of the place just like what they are still doing at the present.

Globalization: Tool for the Enhancement of Material Interests

Globalization seems like to be a new word for Imperialistic Colonization. We can see it in the dominance or leadership of the United States of America over Afghanistan and other Middle East Countries. It has further extended its rule over foreign countries in the form of aggressive extension of authority. If countries could not be coerced or persuaded by economic promises and the Utopian projection of America that it is an ideally perfect state especially in its social and political and moral aspects, they are being invaded. They use their military might.

In 1998, the United States of America wanted a new government in Afghanistan. It is for a reason that an internationally recognized Afghanistan Government should first be placed before the construction of oil pipeline would be allowed and they have no other choice because Afghanistan is the only possible route for the desired pipeline. This plan could not have happened if America had not used their military power to replace the government in Afghanistan and it started in 1998. According to Mr. Niaz Naik, former Pakistani Foreign Secretary, said that the wider objective of United States of America is to topple the Taliban Regime and install a transitional government to moderate Afghans in its place. Possibly, if a transitional government would be placed, Zahir Shah who was the former king would lead the government.

After this terrorist attack in September 11, 2001, the United States of America led a military invasion in Afghanistan to deprive the Taliban of strength and efficiency and make them no longer a threat to International Security. The invasion actually started even before the 9/11 attack. Because of this day in 2001 when Arab suicide bombers hijacked United States airliners and used them as bombs, the United States of America took it as a right time to secure public supports to continue its invasion in Afghanistan. The stated intention of the invasion was to locate Osama bin Laden and other high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and put them on trial, to obliterate the whole organization of Al-Qaeda, and to take out the Taliban regime which supported and gave safe harbor to Al-Qaeda. Behind this invasion of the United States of America is an economic motive which can be seen in the substantial links of the president during that time, George W. Bush, with the oil industry. These substantial links can be seen in 2000 elections when gas and other energy interests donated more that $90 million to Bush Presidential Campaign.

The United States America was successful in their military invasion in Afghanistan. They were able to put up a US controlled interim government under the leadership of the former Oil Company Adviser, Hamid Karzai who played as a key collaborator in the conspiracy to construct the major gas and oil pipe line in the region which was the hidden agenda of the US led invasion. Mr. Hamid Karzai really had a strong American backing, support and approval from the American Government. He was clearly trained for leadership. As what has been said by those who support Globalization, it was supposed to contribute to the growth of democracy. However, for those who are against it, they say that it is not democracy. It is like a rubber stamp because everything has already been decided by the powerful ones.

Globalization: Grounds for Social Inequality and Exclusion

Evidence of Class Exclusion and Westernization abound in the Capital of Afghanistan which is Kabul. The economy inside Kabul flourishes with warlords building $100 million ski resorts. These developments are only present in Kabul. For those who are outside Kabul, they are experiencing a different thing. The other provinces in the south like Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul are submitting to, and welcoming the returning tyranny of the Taliban in exchange for food, jobs and security.

In 2004, Nangahar province in Afghanistan reduced Opium Poppy Cultivation by 96% due to the promises of the government that they would give out seeds for new cash crops, financial support and improved infrastructure in the place. However, just like any other promises, it was broken. The promises were not given because the money which was supposed to be allocated for the cash crops and infrastructure was lost in the state’s inducement by improper means, mismanagement and misallocation of the budget. As a result, the economy of the country went down by 60%.

As a result, Poppy production was back in the year 2005. People earn faster and bigger amounts through this activity. They are earning around 6000$ per hectare and this amount is ten times bigger than the money that they would get from other cash crops. This served as a survival strategy for th peasantry because it does not only supply income to buy food and other necessities but also an employment. As a result, ties between the Ordinary People who became Drug Traffickers and the Taliban in Drug Operations in Afghanistan were established. This secret agreement between these two parties is beneficial for the both of them. The Taliban gets the drug money from this Multimillion Dollar Opium Crop which served as their economic engine to finance their insurgency. At an instant, they were able to form a group which was like a Global guerilla which served as their mutual defense front against the eradication of their Poppy crops.

Discrimination cannot only be seen between the people from Kabul and from those who are outside the country’s capital. It can also be seen within the structure Opium traders. The Government of the United States of America has been alleged of backing Narcotic-state in Afghanistan. The United States is picking and choosing winners in the Global Opium trade by eliminating Taliban connected traders and replacing them with those Opium traders with political power in the Afghan Government. Another issue that would support this allegation is the case of General Abdul Rashid Dostum in 2001 wherein he together with his men massacred thousands of prisoners. They stuffed them into metal containers, suffocating most of them and then shooting at close range those who survived. General Dostum was not touched for the crime because he is working for the CIA during that time, an independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest. There was an accusation that a cover up was made with the help of the US government.

Globalization: Instrument for the Creation of New Cultural Identity

According to Peter Berger, “The Negative Side of Globalization is that it wipes out entire economic systems and in doing so wipes out the accompanying culture.” People in the Middle East give great importance to their cultural identity especially the Arab and Muslim Intellectuals. They are deeply concerned about maintaining their cultural identity and independence in the face of globalization most especially as it has been seen as a social process of assimilation of American Culture. One of the three groups of Arab Intelligentsia, group of educated and intellectual elites in Middle East, sees Globalization as the highest stage of Cultural Invasion. The United States exerts hegemonic influence in promoting its values and habits through popular culture and the news media and they call it Americanization. They do want a standardization of world culture to happen, a cultural phenomenon which is the emergence of a World Culture. They do want to see the local and traditional forms be cleared out in one’s country to make for American Television, music, food, clothes, films. They fear that one day Afghans would take that as the heart of globalization.

Because of the great value of Cultural Identity in Middle East, negative and defensive responses are seen against globalization such as the discouragement of the supporting elements of globalization like democracy, free enterprise, civil and human rights. Like what Roger Scruton wrote in his book, by imposing itself and its values on the entire world through the Globalization process, the West is creating conditions for conflict to occur between other cultures.

If Middle East has AlQaeda Jihad which imposes radical Islam on the world and destroying Western Infidel Culture, United States of America has its own apparatus for cultural penetration. This is the McWorld. It imposes its jihad on the local culture and traditions of Middle East. It is good to know that at the present, we cannot find any McDonalds store in Afghanistan. However, if this thing happens, McDonalds can destroy local values, the traditional eating habits and cuisines shared by the Afghanistan Society like the flat bread which is often dipped in a light meat stock cooked on an iron plate in the fire or on the inner wall of a clay oven which is really a part of their everyday food. Yogurt and other dairy products are also an important element of an Afghan’s diet, as are onions, peas and beans, dried fruits, and nuts. Scrambled eggs prepared with tomatoes and onions are common meal. For the drinks, tea is drunk all day. Sugar is used in the first cup of the day, and then sweets are eaten and kept in the mouth while sipping tea. Other common beverages would also include water and buttermilk. It would really not be surprising if one day you would see the people in the Afghanistan eating McDonalds Burger and Fries and sipping Coke Sundae. This could be possible results of United States of Americas exertion of their culture and values to the Afghanistan Society.

Afghans are also lovers of social life with abundance of music and festivals. They are considered to be musical people. However, during the Taliban Regime, their passion for music was placed in limits because listening to music or playing any instrument either in public or private was prohibited by the regime. However, at the present, the restrictions were gradually relaxed and at the same time, American music influencing the music of Afghanistan. One example of this is the concerts, recording and filming in Kabul, Afghanistan by the American Voices entitled Jazz Bridges Afghanistan. This is a collaborative performance of American and Afghan artists and musicians. This very first performance of Americans in Afghanistan was a success. The concert goers praised vociferously the jazz rendition of their traditional music. Jazz is a genre of popular music that originated in New Orleans in Louisiana, United States of America around 1900 and developed through increasingly complex styles. This is just another picture of American winning the approval and support of the Afghans. They were able to accomplish their intended purpose which may include the incorporating American culture into the Afghanistan Community.

America was also to affect the media and clothing culture at the same time. Cultural War is visible in the television and again, America has been a contributing factor to this conflict. Afghanistan has its own premier pop music even in the country which is the Afghan Star. This Television program of the Tolo Television Network is the counterpart of the American Idol.For some, the network perhaps is just doing this for business ventures and at the same time, reflecting what the people want. However, for some like the Afghanistan Guardians of Islamic Values, the Ulema Council, protests that it is not part of the Afghan Culture and it can even be a cause of threat to a person’s security. Like for example, the death threats that a female finalist on Afghan Star received after the show when she her head scarf fell into her shoulders. For the Afghans, this is a forbidden thing in their culture. Because of the event, the owner of the network settled the dispute and made a decision of releasing a new show which would better reflect the Afghan Culture.

Globalization: Modern World’s Pandora’s Box

Globalization is like a modern World’s Pandora’s Box. When one state opens itself to Globalization, it unlocks millions of possibilities. It makes itself available for countless opportunities. These opportunities may be chances for one country to advance. It could improve one’s economy; ameliorate the state’s transport, communication and technology, media, education and health. Free Trade and the Investments of Developed Nations in Developing Nations now flow easily. Paul Samuelson once said that Globalization presumes sustained economic growth. Otherwise, the process loses its economic benefits and political support.

The decision of one country to open up to international traffic and capital flows are reversible. It could also be making itself susceptible to other countries’ attacks. It is making one state vulnerable also to the threats of globalization. A state may have the perception that the presence of a Western State is a menace thus they will go on with fighting with the foe. It would the result to greater chances of states to violent in attempt to preserve their cultural heritage. Moreover, international bodies would also infringe on national and individual sovereignty. Just like what happened to Pandora when she opened the large bar given by Zeus, all of the evils, ills, diseases, and burdensome labor that mankind had not known previously, escaped from the jar.