Afghanistan War "A Waste of Blood and Treasure"
Abdul-Majid Jaffry
As all wars are not morally objectionable, not all wars are permissible. However, even in the situation where use of force becomes permissible, there are certain essential and universally accepted principles that need to be abided. First, war must be the last resort after all other peaceful means to resolve the conflict have failed. Second, the use of force must be for just cause; for example, to evict an invading and occupying force. Third, it must have a reasonable likelihood of success; death and destruction not to be inflicted for vain cause. Lastly, one should not use tactics in a way that causes disproportionate harm.
Judging from the above principles, the eight-year-old US war against Afghanistan trampled every accepted norms and standard conduct of war; a war bereft of reason and uncalled for.
No Afghan national or Taliban rulers were involved in the fateful event of 9/11 that saw the TwinTowers tumbled, nevertheless, the indigent Afghan nation became the target of American retaliatory wrath - mighty American war machinery unleashed in the manner not seen since the Vietnam War. One may point here that the alleged mastermind of 9/11 Osama bin Laden was hiding in Afghanistan and it provided the rational for the US attack. However, the argument loses much of it force when one considers that the Taliban government twice, in 1998 and 2001, offered to hand over Osama Bin Laden to an independent tribunal instead of the United States. It was a reasonable offer, given the fact that the US did not recognize the Taliban government, and there was no extradition treaty existed.
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