Foreigners

Afghanistan is Obama’s war like Iraq was Bush’s. It will be, for the Democratic president, the graveyard of American strategies like it was for the Iraq campaign. Some countries that entered into history over a thousand years ago don’t change, even for the better.

For the Iraqis, like the Afghans, the foreigner will always be an intrusive enemy. In 2,500 years of jagged history, Afghanistan has bested Alexander the Great, the English and the Russians. In 10 years of war, the Afghans have already won against the Americans and their heterogeneous coalition, where France plays only an auxiliary role. Obama, in one of the first decisions of his administration, sent thousands of reinforcements into the valleys and deserts of this stateless country.

Washington and the West have dumped billions of dollars in order to build a nation — in vain. The Afghans are still rather poor while their corrupt leaders grab those “aid packages.” To the population, the Western soldiers are only occupiers, warmongers and trouble in a country where they don’t understand tribal codes, familiar loyalties or territorial membership. They are strangers in every sense of the word. The Afghans are waiting for their departure like they did with the Soviet and English parties. They know that the Taliban — who are Afghans like them — will stay. Karzai is ready and has made contact with the enemy. The remaining choices for the West are either a well-organized retreat or humiliation with a restrained departure.