Open Letter to John Kerry

An Open Letter

To the Honorable John F. Kerry

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street
Washington, D.C. 20520

 

 

Dear Mr. Secretary,

As  a naturalized U.S. citizen and a native of Afghanistan, I have a proposal that I believe will enable you to save what you have accomplished in this region. The end result would be a safe and stable Afghanistan.

I propose that the U.S. change its policy in this arena to a broader and more inclusive one. You could do this by bringing together all the involved regional parties for an agreement not to interfere in the affairs of Afghan governance. The players in this deal would include, at a minimum, the Taliban, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia and the U.S.

They would be motivated to sign this treaty because Afghanistan would agree to transform itself into a non-aligned, military-free zone that prohibits the harboring of terrorists, freely enters into extradition agreements, poses no threat to outsiders and is capable of governing itself. With U.S. help, Afghanistan would basically disarm itself, breaking down its costly Afghan Armed Forces into local law enforcement duty.

Mr. Kerry, you are well-respected in Afghanistan for your significant accomplishment in bringing the contested presidential candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah into a political settlement and unity government. Your diplomatic skills saved Afghanistan from falling apart, and your work has earned the U.S. a reputation for using smart diplomacy to resolve conflicts.

Unfortunately, your gains in Afghanistan are at risk of being squandered. The unity government you established is challenged by constant threats from the Taliban, whose adherents flood into Afghanistan from Pakistan, which uses the Taliban as its proxy to counter India’s growing influence in the region.

The U.S. drone strike on Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor was welcomed by Afghans. His death shed light on the involvement of regional regimes in the Afghan war. The recovery of his death’s “black box” (his passport) reportedly bears the stamps of Iran and Russia, a clear indication of the players in the Afghan conflict.

Mullah Mansoor’s death will not tamp down the flow of Taliban from Pakistan, where religious madrassas churn out suicide bombers and new Taliban leaders. The war in Afghanistan will never end until the issue of opposing forces is resolved. Afghanistan has become a battleground not only between India and Pakistan, but also Iran and Russia, as the Mullah Mohammad Mansoor’s passport indicates.

Therefore, the U.S. could benefit by engaging all the current players. If no one sees the Afghan Armed Forces as a threat, activities such as Pakistan’s support of the deadly Haqqani network might cease. The U.S. would save money and lives. Stability would benefit all.

Sir, this is possible because (1) the Taliban is seen by Afghans not as a grassroots movement, but rather a destructive foreign instrument, and (2) the U.S. still enjoys broad support among Afghan citizens, and they would welcome your efforts.

As someone who has spent half his life Afghanistan and the other half in the United States, I have written extensively on international affairs in the Middle East, and I believe this is the best solution.

This “John Kerry Peace Plan” would bring the Afghan war to what Mr. Obama and so many more crave: a responsible and peaceful end.

Regards,

 

 

 

Wahab Raofi