20 years of occupation and upheaval in Afghanistan
Two decades of military presence by the United States and its allies in Afghanistan did not deliver the anticipated transformation. Washington toppled the Taliban in 2001, framing a narrative of freedom, yet by August 2021 a reinforced and equally sectarian Taliban reclaimed control alongside a puppet government led by Ashraf Ghani. The result was a chaotic reversal that left many questioning the promises of the intervention.
Hasty flights from Kabul’s airport painted a stark image of a nation in crisis. Tens of thousands of Afghans wished to escape, while the broader international stance revealed a mix of strategic interests and propagandistic messaging. What many believed would bring lasting change turned into a spectacle of desperation and disillusionment for those left behind, including countless Afghan women who found themselves stripped of work, education, and public visibility.
There was a warning many would later wish had been heeded. Malalai Joya, during her brief December 2003 address at Loya Jirga, criticized the Northern Alliance as comprised of both murderers and drug traffickers. Her critique suggested that alliances made to overthrow the Taliban did not necessarily translate into a clean, ethical victory for Afghan citizens. The message proved prescient for those who felt abandoned by the unfolding political calculus.
two decades of occupation: long-term consequences
Assessing the long-term impact of twenty years of foreign presence is complex. The policy of introducing a version of freedom carried unintended costs, and questions remain about how empowered Afghan women and their daughters will respond to new power dynamics. Will voices rise from suppressed spaces, or will silence prevail in the face of formidable social structures?
Among contemporary cultural currents, Hassani, a renowned Afghan artist born in Tehran, has become emblematic. His family fled in 1988, later returning to Kabul in 2001 before leaving again in 2021. His graffiti and other works highlight the struggles of women under entrenched machismo, a message echoed by Negina Azimi and other artists who filled Kabul’s walls with images of resistance, many of which were destroyed once the Taliban retook control.
Salma al-Shebab, a Saudi student at the University of Leeds who visited home for a break, faced severe punishment after retweeting Arabic-language activists. A terrorism court later sentenced her to 34 years. The outcome underscored the difficult balance between political statements abroad and the consequences back home, particularly in a region where leadership changes are often tied to broader geopolitical calculations.
After visits by Western leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, attention shifted toward questions about oil, power, and influence rather than human rights alone. The alignment of Western governments with political figures in the Gulf and elsewhere signaled a pragmatic calculus, sometimes at odds with public advocacy for democratic ideals. In parallel, regional leaders such as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan pursued diplomacy with Saudi Arabia notwithstanding alarming human-rights concerns in the broader region.
In Afghanistan, the absence of abundant natural resources like oil or gas has often shaped the international narrative. Yet the country remains a focal point for discussions about determination in defending universal rights, even amid scarcity of material leverage in global markets. The broader international context continues to influence how Afghan affairs are understood on the world stage.
women without veils and the politics of dress
Across the Atlantic, debates in the United States have intensified around gender rights, including legal protections for abortion while exploring new contours of reproductive freedom. A climate of conservative activism has grown in some circles, and political rhetoric in various regions of the country mirrors broader anxieties about rights and cultural change.
In Kabul in 2009, a conversation with Ramadan Bashasdost, a Hazara presidential candidate who finished third, illuminated how deeply poverty shapes aspirations. He observed that many children in poverty wanted to become doctors, and he recalled a popular Indian series that framed the aspiration as a form of abundance rather than a supply of weapons and soldiers. The remark underscored a longing for peaceful, constructive narratives in place of conflict-driven stories.
Afghanistan’s cities host women who navigate life under layered social expectations. Some wear veils, others seek education as a path to personal autonomy, and many students pursue knowledge that enables critical thinking about how to dress, study, and participate in public life. The broader aim remains the expansion of learning, enabling women to decide for themselves how to express their identities and to pursue careers free from coercive constraints.
Education is envisioned as secular and evidence-based, where reason and science guide policy more than sectarian dictates. The rule of law is expected to govern state conduct, while communities wrestle with diverse beliefs. The debate touches on historical tensions and contemporary realities, inviting readers to consider how education can serve as a bridge between tradition and modern citizenship. The pursuit of progress continues to be weighed against religious and cultural particularities, with the question of how to balance respect for belief with universal rights at the center of ongoing conversations about governance and social reform.