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Afghanistan A Failed Nation State or Tribes at War Over Who Shall Be the Big Chief
By Townie 76
We desire that Afghanistan look like the Western nation-state, unfortunately Westphalian Myopia prevents us from understanding from whence our own society comes. What we view as our form of Government did not spring forth the moment the settlers arrived in Jamestown in 1607 or for that matter spring forth the moment King John signed the Magna Charta. What we call representative democracy in both the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved over hundreds of years and will continue to evolve. Sometimes in our rush to impose our will we forget our own history and how our institutions developed. The absences of historical memory combined with Westphalian Myopia are dangerous combinations that threaten the health of our republic.
I have a great deal of admiration for General Stan McCrystal. He is uniquely qualified to lead American combat forces, as he is every inch a warrior. He is a warrior, who has served in both conventional and special operations units in the United States Army. He is a proven leader of men, who is more than willing to share the hardships of those he leads. Having given a list of superlatives, I have to wonder if he has fallen victim to the age old disease which seems to inflict political and military leaders of the United States, Westphalian Myopia.
Westphalian Myopia is a disease that seems to exclusively inflict political and military leaders of European descent. It is symbolized by a belief that all people wish to shed their tribal heritage, to shed their primitive ways, and to adopt trappings of the modern western nation state. The nation-state, where tribal, religious and ethnic ideology are consigned to the dustbin of primitive beliefs; and instead people come together for the greater good of all citizens. The modern nation state what seeks to bring peace and harmony, where the rights of individuals take their place as equal to the needs of the state and the needs of the economic community? There are secondary symptoms which manifest itself by a strange belief that violence and ethnic strife are strangely barbaric manifestations of the past; where men and women are equal, where children should be permitted to become educated, and where the rural folkways are viewed as being quaint and the within the purview of academics in the fields of sociology and anthropology.
For over two hundred years, the great powers, be it the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, or the United States have fallen victim to the strange malaise of Westphalian Myopia. Rather that recognizing that the tribes and the people of the tribes which make up the western created country of Afghanistan view themselves as members of a tribe first and foremost; and to whom the notion of a nation-state is as foreign as the invaders who attempt to occupy their country, we seek to imposed the Western concept of the nation-state. Rather than acknowledge that tribal violence, that the religion of Afghanistan will not allow dissent or believers other than those who accept Islam. Women are afforded no privilege and are subject to the whims of men, and if they stray from the social norms, the retribution can be swift and deadly. But they are no worse today in this medieval society than they were a thousand years ago. While it may be an affront to our western sensibilities, the societal norms of the area we call Afghanistan suit the disparate tribes which make up this region.
So rather than trying to build a functioning nation-state, which George Will points out in his 1 September 2009 column in the Washington-Post, the central government controls less than thirty percent of the country, perhaps we should admit the reality of Afghanistan and try another approach.
First, we must admit, that Afghanistan will never be a country in the Western sense. The best we can hope for is a lose alliance of tribal states working together when there are shared interest. Second, we should create tribal regions, where the tribes govern their respective people. Third, we must quit trying to reform the folkways of the region we call Afghanistan—Folkways and society must be reformed from within not from outside. Fourth, we should not waste energy of forming a National Police or Army, but rather should work within the confines of tribes to form regional militias, which are loyal to the tribe and who will do the bidding of the tribal leader. Fifth, corruption is an essential part of society in this region we are not going to change it, so why bother, only when the tribes find it to egregious will they end such practices.
We desire that Afghanistan look like the Western nation-state, unfortunately Westphalian Myopia prevents us from understanding from whence our own society comes. What we view as our form of Government did not spring forth the moment the settlers arrived in Jamestown in 1607 or for that matter spring forth the moment King John signed the Magna Charta. What we call representative democracy in both the United States and the United Kingdom has evolved over hundreds of years and will continue to evolve. Sometimes in our rush to impose our will we forget our own history and how our institutions developed. The absences of historical memory combined with Westphalian Myopia are dangerous combinations that threaten the health of our republic.
Can McCrystal succeed in the region we call Afghanistan? Yes if he, NATO, and the United States are willing to view the region we call Afghanistan as it is and not as we want it to be.
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Comments
Townie: I don't disagree with anything you say. However, I think it is important to remember how we got here. After 9-11, President Bush gave the Taliban a choice: hand over Bin Laden and Co., or else. When the Taliban choose not to comply, we quite easily ran them out. (Well, "easily" from my point of view, not having had to do the fighting. But in the scheme of things, "easily.") We would have been satisfied to let them carry on with their barbarism -- if they had complied and handed over al-Qaeda. When they didn't, and we had to break the place, we decided to try to rebuild it as something decent. This is altruism, what makes humans, and the USA in particular, great. But if this sort of rebuilding isn't a realistic goal, we can obviously settle for less, as we were initially willing to do. Just so long as they understand who, in Mr. West's apt phrase, is the strongest tribe.
I am glad to see that people are waking up to the fact that you cannot dispense with tribalism in Afghanistan. Any attempt to do away with tribalism would destroy what little shredded fabric holds this country together.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 09/02/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Great post. If I may bring up one of my favorite subjects, the Rhodesians had a smart way of doing this. They gave the tribal chiefs representation in their Parliment, and passed laws that allowed the tribal lands to govern themselves.
As a result, when the 1961 Rhodesian Constitution was passed, over 600 Africa chiefs -representing villages from all over the country- ratified it.
What did Afghanistan look like pre communist coup in the 1970s (leading to the Soviet invasion in support of it)?
Any way of going back to that model, which is what Masoud wanted?
So, what makes a failed nation a failed nation?
Why do we care what Afghanistan "looks like?" And a friendly reminder here: Just because you disagree with their culture you ended up spiraling downward until you said that that corruption is essential to their region. Be careful or you will end up destroying everything you have to say on ONE line! Some of you are calling this barbarianism...and that's rude no matter how you look at it. Sure some leaders have been ruthless! Barbarians themselves! But when you say: "We would have been satisfied to let them carry on with their barbarism -- if they had complied and handed over al-Qaeda" Is labeling a whole people as barbarians! Use careful wording so no questions can be asked about what you say. Either way, people need to learn the difference between "Al-Qaeda" and the Taliban. Instead of calling me stupid or any unintelligent remark like that, please fight back with some evidence and if you agree with what I said, SAY so. I want an answer here...
Thank you very much!
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I'm looking forward to whatever is going to be happening soon in Afghanistan. Because David Kilcullen and others are there or soon will be to figure out what should be done to succeed and get shit done.