Flag wavers should realize that Russia -- not the US -- is the big winner in Afghanistan:
Author
Topic: Putin's the big winner in Bush's war - Part 2
EXPECTATIONS DENIED
When Pakistan ditched its ally, the Taliban, in
September, and sided with the U.S., Islamabad and
Washington fully expected to implant a pro-American
regime in Kabul and open the way for the Pak-American
pipeline. But this was not to be.
In a dazzling coup, Russian President Vladimir Putin
stole a march on the Bush administration, which was
so busy trying to tear apart Afghanistan to find bin
Laden it failed to notice the Russians were taking
over half the country.
The wily Russians achieved this victory through their
proxy Afghan force, the Northern Alliance. Moscow,
which has sustained the Alliance since 1990, re-armed
it after Sept. 11 with new tanks, armoured vehicles,
artillery, helicopters and trucks. The Alliance's two
military leaders, Gen. Rashid Dostam and Gen.
Muhammed Fahim, were stalwarts of the old Communist
regime with close links to the KGB.
Putin put the chief of the Russian general staff,
Viktor Kvashnin, and the deputy director of the KGB,
in charge of the Alliance. During the Balkan fighting
in 1999, the hard-charging Kvashnin outfoxed the U.S.
by seizing Pristina's airfield, thus assuring a
permanent Russian role in Kosovo.
Now, he's done it again. To the fury of Washington
and Islamabad, Kvashnin rushed the Northern Alliance
into Kabul, in direct contravention of Bush's
dictates. The Alliance is now Afghanistan's dominant
force and, heedless of multi-party political talks in
Germany this weekend, styles itself the new 'lawful'
government, a claim fully backed by Moscow.
DEFEAT REVENGED
The Russians have regained influence over
Afghanistan, revenged their defeat by the U.S. in the
1980s' war, and neatly checkmated the Bush
administration which, for all its high-tech military
power, understood little about Afghanistan.
America's ouster of the Taliban regime meant Pakistan
lost its former influence over Afghanistan and is now
cut off from Central Asia's resources. So long as the
Alliance holds power, the U.S. is equally denied
access to the much coveted Caspian Basin. Russia has
regained control of the best potential pipeline
routes. The 'new Silk Road' will become a Russian
energy superhighway.
By charging like an enraged bull into the South Asian
china shop, the U.S. handed a stunning geopolitical
victory to the Russians and severely damaged its own
great power ambitions. Moscow is now free to continue
plans to dominate South and Central Asia in concert
with its strategic allies, India and Iran.
The Bush administration does not appear to understand
its enormous blunder, and keeps insisting the
Russians are now our friends.
Dear President Bush: Ask your dad. He will tell you
that where oil is concerned, there are no friends,
only competitors and enemies.
© Eric Margolis |
