• About Us
  • Who Are We
  • Work With Us
Monday, June 23, 2025
No Result
View All Result
The Globe Post
39 °f
New York
44 ° Fri
46 ° Sat
40 ° Sun
41 ° Mon
No Result
View All Result
The Globe Post
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Afghanistan Needs Trade, Not Military Might and War

Naweed Kawusi by Naweed Kawusi
02/26/20
in Opinion
Afghan National Army soldiers march during a ceremony in a military base in the Guzara district of Herat province on Feb. 28, 2019

Afghan National Army soldiers march during a ceremony. Photo: Hoshang Hashimi, AFP

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

For many, what comes to mind when they hear Afghanistan is the Taliban, Al Qaeda, years of civil war, unrest, and a complete lack of civilization. This image shows nothing but the stories of historical battles of rulers such as Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, Shah Babur, and King Alexander the Great, and not to forget, the Anglo-Afghan wars and the defeat of the Soviet Union.

It is a rare occurrence that you would speak to an Afghan and they don’t start telling you the history of their country’s long and distinguished wars and conquests, often with a gleeful and proud spark in their eyes. The tale of their nation is one of a graveyard of empires.

Herein resides a problem, though. Often unknowingly, Afghans have imprisoned themselves in the chains of this false pride and accomplishment. They use it as a source of inspiration for many deeds, both good and bad. Afghan political leaders have continuously used this phenomenon to lure unsuspecting youth into their political aspirations, and once done, it leaves nothing but disillusioned youth in its wake.

Even now, the current political elite has invested billions in building a security and defense force that is becoming harder and harder to manage and lead. To what purpose? To what end? Is a mighty, strong, and heavily-invested-in military force the answer to the country’s problems? How does it benefit Afghanistan to boast a force in a volatile region surrounded by nuclear powers? Does Afghanistan have the income and resources to maintain such a military and compete with its neighbors?

Money for Military

A brief look at the military budgets of neighboring countries is quite revealing. In 2019, Pakistan’s military budget was $7.6 billion, while India’s was $62 billion and China $167.4 billion. When you compare those numbers to Afghanistan’s $5.2 billion budget, there are still ways to go.

From a financial perspective, it is quite clear that Afghanistan – dependent on foreign aid to run its military – is not in any position to compete with its neighbors, be it on facilities, technology, resources, armory, or strategic capacity.

Smoke rises from the site of an attack on Tuesday after a massive explosion the night before near the Green Village in Kabul, Afghanistan
Smoke rises from the site of an attack after a massive explosion the night before near the Green Village in Kabul, September 2019. Photo: Wakil Kohsar, AFP

One might consider the above a valid reason for not going down that rabbit hole, especially since after 18 years of international investment and donor funding, Afghanistan’s military and security forces are still vehemently plagued by corruption and misuse. That poses a question. If not military might, then what could allow Afghanistan to be an influential, strong, and united player in the region?

The answer is simple: the country’s location on the map.

Afghanistan’s Strategic Location

Afghanistan’s strategic location has often been the core focus of international powers, both past and present, and played a vital role in the nation’s history. The location simultaneously brings about a plethora of opportunities in trade, economy, and politics. Yet, the one thing that poses the least threat to Afghanistan’s neighboring countries is trade.

Marco Polo, the infamous historian and traveler, has often cited Afghanistan’s critical location as a key ingredient for trade promotion, and even after so many years, he is not far off. Additionally, Afghanistan has a host of vital and high-value minerals to offer, such as precious gems, lithium, and uranium.

Afghanistan’s Silk Route can be a vital cog in connecting the west with the orient and can play a crucial role in streamlining trade routes and creating jobs and employment. This will not only generate a consistent and strong source of income for Afghanistan but also help bring a wide variety of cultural effects and technological advancements. In the long run, this can help improve Afghanistan’s economy.

Afghanistan air corridors as it connects Afghan traders to the world is some sort of modern day silk route, with the expansion of transport means and technology. It can change the course of war and terrorism in the region and world.#AFGUKBIZ18

— Gharghasht – غرغشت – גהארגהאשט (@Gharghasht) September 17, 2018

Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of land that extends to China and separates Tajikistan from Pakistan and Kashmir, will also be a key route to allow Afghan business people and those of western countries to easily access China, allowing for consistent export of Afghan products.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative has further potential to turn Afghanistan into a trade hotspot. Trade has always had a knack for softening up the political tensions which the region is rife with. That too is only possible if Afghanistan is safe and secure and no longer at war, which makes it a fundamental decision for the government and the international community to ensure that security is not just another bullet point on a list but a mandate that needs implementation as soon as possible.

If Afghanistan is looking to establish itself as a legitimate and influential regional regime, then military might and war are not the answer, but trade and commerce are. It is only through trade that the country’s infrastructure can be rebuilt and utilized for a better and prosperous nation.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Globe Post.
ShareTweet
Naweed Kawusi

Naweed Kawusi

Managing Director of Compass Research and Strategies, a Kabul-based think tank focused on security, defense, and radicalization studies in Afghanistan

Related Posts

A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty saloon with images of women defaced using a spray paint in Shar-e-Naw in Kabul on August 18, 2021
World

Afghanistan’s Taliban Government Bans ‘Violent’ Mixed Martial Arts

by Staff Writer with AFP
August 29, 2024
A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty parlor
World

Thousands of Afghan Salons Close as Taliban Deadline Bites

by Staff Writer
July 25, 2023
Taliban fighters
Featured

UN Expert Decries ‘Systematic’ Attacks on Afghan Shiites

by Staff Writer
September 12, 2022
Afghan refugees
Featured

Pakistani Migrants in Afghanistan Caught in Quake No-Man’s Land

by Staff Writer
June 27, 2022
Afghanistan
Middle East

Taliban Vows in Geneva Talks to Protect Aid Workers: NGO

by Staff Writer
February 11, 2022
Afghan women
Middle East

Afghan Women Activists Say They Feel Betrayed by Oslo Talks

by Staff Writer
January 24, 2022
Next Post
Rohingya refugees

Bangladesh Again Postpones Rohingya Refugee Island Relocation

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders

Unsolicited Advice for Sanders: Stay Away From the Cuba Trap

Recommended

An Iranian protester

Iran’s Nuclear Program: From Its Origins to Today’s Dispute

June 23, 2025
Protesters and police clash during the “No Kings” protest in Los Angeles, California on June 14, 2025.

US Appeals Court Allows Trump Control of National Guard in LA

June 20, 2025
Donald Trump

Fact vs. Fiction: The Trump Administration’s Dubious War on Reverse Discrimination

June 18, 2025
Iranian missiles and Israeli interceptors light up the sky over Beirut, Lebanon, on June 14, 2025. Iran launched multiple missiles toward Israeli targets, triggering interception attempts above several regional capitals, including Beirut.

Israel-Iran Conflict: Latest Developments

June 18, 2025
Tens of thousands of protestors shut down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Saturday, April 5, 2025, protesting the Trump administration's abuse of the separation of federal powers as well as the deep cuts to governmental services overseen by presidential advisor Elon Musk.

Civil Society Is Holding the Line. Will Washington Notice?

June 17, 2025
An Iranian walking in front of a wall painting of the Iranian flag in Tehran

How Much Damage Has Israel Inflicted on Iran’s Nuclear Program?

June 16, 2025

Opinion

Donald Trump

Fact vs. Fiction: The Trump Administration’s Dubious War on Reverse Discrimination

June 18, 2025
Tens of thousands of protestors shut down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Saturday, April 5, 2025, protesting the Trump administration's abuse of the separation of federal powers as well as the deep cuts to governmental services overseen by presidential advisor Elon Musk.

Civil Society Is Holding the Line. Will Washington Notice?

June 17, 2025
A Black Lives Matter mural in New York City.

Fuhgeddaboudit! America’s Erasure of History

April 2, 2025
Bust of Deputy Rubens Paiva in the Chamber of Deputies

Democratic Brazilians Are Still Here

March 18, 2025
A woman from Guatemala

Dispatch From Central America

January 28, 2025
US President Donald Trump

Dear Trump Supporters: Is This the America You Wanted?

January 28, 2025
Facebook Twitter

Newsletter

Do you like our reporting?
SUBSCRIBE

About Us

The Globe Post

The Globe Post is part of Globe Post Media, a U.S. digital news organization that is publishing the world's best targeted news sites.

submit oped

© 2018 The Globe Post

No Result
View All Result
  • National
  • World
  • Business
  • Interviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Democracy at Risk
    • Media Freedom
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Columns
    • Book Reviews
    • Stage
  • Submit Op-ed

© 2018 The Globe Post