The images plastered across our screens in recent days of Afghan civilians at Hamid Karzai airport desperately trying to flee the country, as well as the bombing on Thursday, have been heartbreaking. And, for me, slightly surreal. I lived in that airport while serving as a soldier in the British army.
Watching the scenes of chaos on the tarmac, my first thought was for the civilians who worked inside the airport. I spent many afternoons after work sitting in the Afghan-owned Istanbul Cafe, a ramshackle building of several floors that overlooked the airfield, drinking the strong coffee prepared by woman and men I came to know and respect. Their journey into work every morning was 10 times as dangerous as anything I ever did in Kabul. They ran the gauntlet on bicycles while we took shelter inside armoured vehicles. I cannot help but wonder: are they safe? Did they get out?
As the shock of what had happened subsided, and the Taliban raised their flag above Kabul, I grew resentful and angry, thinking about why the mission in Afghanistan failed and whether it could have gone differently.
I worked as a soldier at the coalface of Natos Resolute Support mission, which was supposed to train, support and assist Afghan security services and institutions. We provided security for advisers while they engaged with their Afghan counterparts in Kabul. Generally, this would mean picking them up, taking them to the meeting, providing security for the meeting and bringing them back to base. From my perspective, there were at least two fundamental errors in the missions approach. The first was the massive outsourcing to the private sector that underwrote the operation.
Let me state categorically, our service people are not to blame. The soldiers I served with, those who fought in Helmand and later safeguarded in Kabul, acted, almost without exception, with the utmost professionalism and valour. To have served alongside them is the great honour of my life. But Natos mission was not fit for purpose.
When I was in Afghanistan, private military contractors numbered almost 30,000. Some were engaged in protection tasks, but many more were responsible for training and mentoring Afghans who held positions of significant influence. They advised on intelligence, war-fighting, diplomacy, policing, you name it. Some of them were doing their best. Many more didnt give a damn. Many were on six figures and had been for years. Afghanistan for them was a cash cow, a way of putting their kids through college (most were American) or paying off a mortgage. In sum, there were too many poorly qualified people working without accountability, getting paid far too much. If you want an answer to the question of why Afghanistans military crumbled in weeks, take a long hard look at their so-called mentors.
Then there was the simplistic assumption that everyone in Afghanistan could fall into two categories, enlightened liberal reformers who would welcome a western presence, and conservative folk susceptible to the Taliban. Needless to say, things were more complicated than that.
There were some pretty unsavoury characters who worked with us in Kabul. One morning, an interpreter who had worked with the British for decades sidled up to me at breakfast and pointed at a young Afghan woman who also worked as an interpreter. In a voice loud enough for her to hear everything, he declared her a filthy whore. His reason? She was wearing a pair of jeans and a bright pink headscarf. This sort of language and these attitudes were commonplace and generally went unchallenged by soldiers and contractors, who didnt want to be seen as undermining locals. And if they were accepted in a Nato base, what hope was there of combating the Talibans brutal misogyny?
Corruption existed at every level. One afternoon I provided protection for a meeting between an Afghan air force lawyer and his US adviser. As I sweated into my body armour, they discussed an investigation relating to unauthorised travel on Afghan air force flights. In brief, the Taliban had been able to board flights reserved for Afghan soldiers and fly across the country with impunity. After several hours of back-and-forth on how best to proceed, the American eventually lost his cool and shouted: You have to get rid of these [corrupt] people! The Afghan lawyer calmly answered: Would you like me to disband the entire Afghan air force? The American had no answer to that. The west has had no answer to that for 20 years.
How Nato believed that these fragile institutions were capable of holding back a group like the Taliban, who spoke with one voice and strove towards one end, is beyond me. In truth, it probably didnt it was accepting of Afghanistans fate and the fate of its hopeful youth.
In what we call the combat estimate, we ask ourselves a number of questions. One of them is, What resources do I need to accomplish each effect? Essentially, troops to task. Nato got this one wrong. It did not need 30,000 self-interested mercenaries who cared more about their bank accounts than the future of Afghanistan. It needed a small and dedicated grouping of experts supported by an appropriately small and well-equipped protection force. This, coupled with virtual engagement (if Covid-19 has taught us something its that we can work at distance), would have had the same impact as the bloated mess that Resolute Support eventually became. Importantly, maintaining boots on the ground, albeit in a limited capacity, would have sent a clear message to the Taliban: these new Afghan institutions do not stand alone.
To those who say that our presence was unwanted and fruitless, to those who claim that we could never hope to help change Afghanistan for the better, I would ask them to take a look at the videos of the young desperately clinging to the undercarriages of C-17s. Take a look at the figures establishing themselves in offices once held by the democratically elected. Take a look at the devastating attack by the Islamic State. Our presence was enough to stop all of this. Sometimes preventing a change is as important as instigating one.
To those whom we promised a future, we must now open our arms. Lives are at stake. Cost is irrelevant. We must do what we can.
The fall of Afghanistan: join a Guardian Live online event with our journalists Emma Graham-Harrison, Peter Beaumont and Julian Borger analysing the latest developments. Monday 6 September at 7pm BST. Book your tickets here. All profits will be donated to relevant charities.
Go here to read the rest:
I served with the Nato mission in Afghanistan it was a bloated mess - The Guardian
- Trump says he'd 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies who don't pay their bills - NPR - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump suggests he'd disregard NATO treaty, urge Russian attacks on allies - The Washington Post - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- 'You got to pay!': Trump threatens to 'encourage' Russia to attack NATO allies behind on payments - FRANCE 24 English - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says Russia can do what it wants to Nato allies who pay too little - Financial Times - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- White House calls Trump comments on NATO appalling and unhinged - The Hill - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says Russia could do 'whatever the hell they want' to NATO countries that don't pay their share - Yahoo News - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump Says He Gave NATO Allies Warning: Pay In or He'd Urge Russian Aggression - The New York Times - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- White House says Trump comments on refusing to back NATO allies 'unhinged' - The Times of Israel - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- NATO allies warn Hungary not to hold up Sweden's membership as US patience wears thin - The Associated Press - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump comments on Russia, NATO 'appalling and unhinged' -White House - Yahoo News Canada - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- NATO Allies Pressure Hungary Over Blocking Sweden's Accession - Voice of America - VOA News - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says he warned NATO: Pay in or he'd tell Russia 'to do whatever the hell they want' - The Spokesman Review - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Vladimir Putin on invading Poland, the war in Ukraine, American 'spies' and Russia joining NATO - Sky News - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says he would support Russia in attacking NATO allies who dont pay' up - Hindustan Times - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says he will encourage Russia to attack NATO states that pay too little - Ukrainska Pravda - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Orbn's party boycotts a session of Hungary's parliament to further stall Sweden's bid to join NATO - The Associated Press - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- US, NATO Reaffirm Need to Support Ukraine - Voice of America - VOA News - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Shocking moment Donald Trump tells cheering crowd he would encourage Russia to ATTACK fellow NATO members for - Daily Mail - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump says he warned NATO ally: Spend more on defense or Russia can 'do whatever the hell they want' - WV News - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump threatens to 'encourage' attack of NATO members behind on payments - Port Lavaca Wave - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- NATO, Gaza, and the future of US-Turkish relations - European Council on Foreign Relations - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict demands American diplomacy without NATO overreach - The Hill - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Putin tells Tucker Carlson Bill Clinton agreed that Russia could join NATO - WION - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump is slammed for encouraging Russia to attack NATO allies who 'don't pay their dues', with White House bra - Daily Mail - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Trump comments on Russia and NATO appalling and unhinged, says White House spokesperson - Firstpost - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Now we are not safe: Swedens Kurds fear Nato deal has sold them out - The Guardian - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Germany urges Orbn to ratify Sweden's NATO bid as 'a matter of loyalty' - POLITICO Europe - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Ukraine's Military to Receive Double Boost From NATO Allies - Newsweek - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg calls on Europe to ramp up arms production - The Hindu - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Nato chief urges Europe to ramp up arms production to avoid 'decades' of conflict with Russia - The Telegraph - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Russia likely upping jamming on NATO countries to test them: general - Business Insider - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Can NATO and the EU Survive and Thrive? - Gallup - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- NATO chief in DC trying to get blood from a stone - Responsible Statecraft - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- For Europe and NATO, a Russian Invasion Is No Longer Unthinkable - The New York Times - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Sen. Menendez Questions Witnesses During SFRC Subcommittee Hearing About the Possible Process for Ukraine to ... - Senator Menendez - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- NATO should be ambitious with its new Southern Flank Strategy - Atlantic Council - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Hungary parliament to meet on Monday at opposition request with Sweden's NATO bid on agenda - Reuters - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Pressure Grows on Hungary to Approve Swedens NATO Bid - Voice of America - VOA News - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Opinion | As war risks mount, Europe is sluggish to response - The Washington Post - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Opinion | How the E.U. and NATO should respond to Hungarys authoritarian Orban - The Washington Post - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- NATO chief warns 'Taiwan could be tomorrow' at Trump bastion - Nikkei Asia - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- ARTHUR CYR: NATO The Enduring Alliance | Opinion | henryherald.com - Henry Herald - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- NATO chief talks up alliance role in advancing US interests at think tank favored by Trump - Stars and Stripes - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Diplomacy Watch: NATO membership still on the table? - Responsible Statecraft - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- When will Sweden join NATO? | Opinion - Deseret News - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Trump hates NATO: Would he leave Canada out in the cold? - GZERO Media - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- China will learn that using force works if Russia prevails: NATO chief - Business Insider - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- NATO newcomer Finland's presidential election is headed for a runoff - NPR - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Letter | The US and NATO let 'never again' happen again in Ukraine - The Daily Progress - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Why Turkey Waited to Approve Sweden's NATO Membership - Foreign Policy - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Coalition of Three: BiH is grateful for all NATO Support - Sarajevo Times - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Former NATO head: Russia, Ukraine will have moment for potential negotiation after 2024 election - The Hill - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Code Red: How Russia Conquers the Baltics - Center for European Policy Analysis - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Orban Escalates Standoff Over Sweden's Accession to NATO - Yahoo News - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Trump Unleashes His Doubts On NATO: 'We Don't Get So Much Out Of It' - Yahoo News - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Putin to visit NATO member Turkey on 12 February - EURACTIV - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Turkey Acquiesced on Sweden Because It Needs the West - Foreign Policy - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Ex-NATO chief says war in Ukraine could end just like the Korean War - Business Insider - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Secretary General in Florida: NATO makes the United States stronger and more secure - European Interest - February 3rd, 2024 [February 3rd, 2024]
- Sweden's accession will make 'a lot of improvements' to NATO: Swedish FM Billstrm - Talking Europe - FRANCE 24 English - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Sweden says Hungary sticking to promise over NATO accession - Reuters - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- In Russia's Kaliningrad, isolation and diminished threat to NATO - Stars and Stripes - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- He helped get Finns into NATO, now he gets them dancing. Will DJ Pexi be president? - Reuters - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Fears of a NATO Withdrawal Rise as Trump Seeks a Return to Power - Yahoo News - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- France is beefing up its support at NATO's eastern flank - The Economist - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO impressed by Israel's genocide tech - The Electronic Intifada - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Ukraine will get the US aid it needs, former Nato envoy predicts - The National - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO raises the military budget for 2024 to EUR 2.03 bn - TVP World - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO selects companies for innovation hub | Shephard - Shephard News - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Nato Dating: A new dating trend in town - WION - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- GE wins contract to study propulsion options for NATO next-generation helicopter - Flightglobal - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO Dating: Decoding the Gen-Z relationship trend - WION - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO Ally Fears Russian Invasion and Possible 'Defensive' War - Newsweek - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Erdogan Ally Links Sweden's NATO Bid to Gaza War in New Hurdle - Bloomberg - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- 'Ukraine will become a member of NATO when all allies agree, and conditions are met' Biden - Yahoo News - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO's Strategy Of Constructive Anarchism Fuels Endless Wars OpEd - Eurasia Review - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO agrees 2024 Budgets, demonstrating Allied Solidarity - Sarajevo Times - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO Raises Concerns Over Proposed Menthol Ban With Federal Officials - CSNews Online - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO increases military budget by 12% to 2.03 billion euros - News.Az - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- NATO scouts for defense startups with help of three Boston women - The Boston Globe - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]