Trump's failures in Afghanistan

An estimated total of 110,000 Afghans have died in the conflict

Kathy Kelly - co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Non Violence, which supports humanitarian work in Afghanistan - told me her group has long advocated that all US and allied troops should pull out, and the US should pay reparations for its war of destruction.

"This is a failed war, as are all wars," she said.

Life in Kabul

During my first reporting trips to Afghanistan, I stayed in inexpensive guest houses, walked to interviews when practical, and visited sources in their homes. Those days are long gone.

Dr Hakim Young, a physician originally from Singapore, has seen dramatic changes during his 14 years of humanitarian work in Afghanistan. Today any government building could be attacked by insurgents, even the military and intelligence headquarters in Kabul.

"We avoid government, political and religious buildings," he told me from Kabul. "We vary daily movements and schedules."

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Even talking or walking with a westerner can put local Afghans in danger because of popular anger at foreign occupation.

So Westerners try not to be noticed by dressing in local clothes.

"It helps that I look like an Afghan," said Dr Hakim, "and speak their language."

He said among Afghans in general, "the mood is one of stress, trauma, uncertainty, insecurity, frustration, anger, distrust and hopelessness. This mood is reflected in the continual outflow of Afghans seeking asylum elsewhere."

Warlords in and out of government

Afghans don't support the Taliban or the Islamic State group, the two main insurgent groups. But it's not like the United States has provided a viable alternative. The United States is allied with brutal, drug dealing warlords.

Recently, General Abdul Rashid Dostum was back in the news. He's a warlord with a long history of human rights abuses, and was accused of beating and raping a rival. Oh, did I mention, he's also Afghanistan's first vice president.

Last year, he fled to Turkey in the middle of the night. Dostum's supporters among the Uzbek ethnic minority have recently engaged in violent demonstrations against the government. In a surprise move, Dostum returned to Kabul in July and was greeted by major government leaders including President Ashraf Ghani. It seems unlikely that Dostum will face trial for the rape, let alone for decades of human rights abuses.

"There are multiple warlords in Afghanistan and the Taliban is just one of them," Kelly said. "There is no functioning government right now. It's a failed narco state."

It's little wonder that the people of Afghanistan want the US and its corrupt government partners to leave.

Grassroots peace movement

The Helmand Peace Convoy, now called the People's Peace Movement, presents a few rays of hope these days. In March, unknown bombers killed 17 civilians and wounded 55 in the southern province of Helmand. So a group of elders, relatives of injured civilians, and civil society activists set up a peace tent in protest.

They called for a ceasefire between warring factions, opposing the policies of the US, the Taliban, and the Afghan government. Encouraged by the positive response from the public, they marched 400 miles to the capital of Kabul.

Once in power, Trump filled top advisor and cabinet positions with generals and neocons who advocate permanent occupation of Afghanistan

Dr Hakim said people are generally supportive of the protesters. "The movement has shifted the mood a little," he said.

"We need to remain optimistic in taking tiny positive actions. The alternative would allow the exploitative, violent actors to worsen the multiple crises gripping Afghanistan."

When the marchers reached Kabul, among other actions, they held a sit-in at the US embassy.

"If the US can topple a regime in 15 days," the movement wrote in a statement, "then why has it not been able to bring peace in the past 17 years?"

Reese Erlich is a freelance reporter and book author specialising in international news. His latest book is 'Inside Syria'.

Follow him on Twitter: @ReeseErlich

This article was originally published by our friends at Lobelog.

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.