Afghanistan Times
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It is time for the Afghan government to strongly react to a statement made by former Blackwater CEO, Erik Prince that Taliban or Islamic State (IS), also known as Daesh terrorists, would raise their battle flag over the US embassy in six months or a year, if forces pull out of Afghanistan. “There’s a lot of people that say just pull out of Afghanistan. I disagree with that because I think the Taliban or ISIS would raise their battle flag over the US embassy in six months or a year,” Prince said this in an interview with CNN. His remark has nothing to do with ground realties. There is fighting without doubt, but Afghan security forces are making headway. His statement that Taliban or Daesh would raise flag to US embassy, showing that Prince has been playing unfaithfulness game to convince Trump administration to send mercenaries instead of US troops, because he sees lucrative business in it. Moreover, the Wall Street Journal revealed that, due primarily to the opposition of President Trump and his counselor Steve Bannon, the administration is inching away from reinforcements. Instead, it seems, senior officials are seriously discussing the prospect of withdrawing US troops, and perhaps sending contractors instead, as suggested by Erik Prince, Blackwater founder. One thing US has to bear in mind that sending mercenaries is not a good idea at all. Even, the National Unity Government leaders would be unlikely to welcome private contractors into their armies so readily, especially given the history of Prince’s old company in Iraq, where its operative gunned down 14 civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2017. It is not the way to get rid of insurgency. Successful counterinsurgency requires close integration between political goals and forces, but with nodding to private military companies, US administration trade integration away. This has been particularly true with US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, two men worked as security contractors for Blackwater have been charged with murder in the killings of two Afghan men. However, since White House is still struggling to come up with an Afghanistan strategy, but these struggles have not to be ended with a jiggle to contractor troops. Looking at the dark background, Prince has to be putted aside with his business project rather than a solution to the Afghan war. We understand that security situation is not good, but as bad as the situation is, letting private armies take over is worse. Prince would do everything at his level best to take over the US military mission in Afghanistan, but he must be restrained. In case he succeeded, it would fatal, absolutely not a winnable move by US administration. This also to make Afghan war more complicated. The Afghan security forces have fully influence on current situation, and the remark that militants would raise battle flag to US embassy is totally groundless. What security force is needed to be provided with state-of-the-art weaponries? By the ways, who is Prince to say this? He wants to play with the live of around 30 million Afghans, only to achieve its goal of privatizing military, aimed at pocketing millions of dollars. You can earn millions of dollars directly in US. Don’t bring your dirty business in Afghanistan as we already suffered enough. He has to trigger to court for is irresponsible remark and blunders.
