Dr. M. Bashir Mobasher‏‏

If the failures of former Afghani President Hamid Karzai, former President Ashraf Ghani, and the international community laid the groundwork for the demise of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the shortcomings of jihadi elites sealed it. Jihadi elites were ethno-factional leaders who led different groups in the war against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and its client regime (1979-1989) and later against the Taliban (1996-2001). Representing diverse factions, these leaders were closely involved in the civil war of 1992-1996 and were influential players in the politics of the Islamic Republic (2001-2021).

How Jihadi Elites Mishandled the Constitutional Reforms in Afghanistan

Missed Opportunities:

Ranking members of the Taliban have subscribed to Islamic extremism and terrorism not necessarily due to a lack of education. Rather, their extremist ideals were formed as a result of their dogmatic education in madrasas, mostly in Pakistan, but also in Afghanistan. This crucial fact seems to have slipped the mind of the international community and human rights advocates, who have narrowed their efforts to merely opening schools and universities for girls, assuming that education of any kind automatically "leads to a better life and helps alleviate economic challenges."

Afghanistan’s Educational Sector Grapples with Taliban’s Extremism

Terrorizing Education:

Dr. Mohammad Qadam Shah

To explain how and why Kabul fell to the Taliban, many analysts focused on the last days of the republic and Ghani’s escape from the country. However, Ghani’s escape was the last episode in a 7 year-long process of wrong decisions and failed governance system. Ghani would not have to flee the country if he had governed differently. Surely, Ghani is not solely responsible for this colossal failure and many inside and outside of Afghanistan deserve blame; but if, on this very same issue, the buck stopped with President Biden in the United States, it stopped with the former President Ghani in Afghanistan. Ghani who once co-authored a book, entitled Fixing a Failed State, failed a fixable state by setting a self-defeating agenda for his government: he prioritized undermining his political rivals (who could have been potential allies in his fight against the Taliban) over dealing with the real threat – the Taliban.

How Has a Fixable State Failed in Afghanistan?

The Leadership Factor:

If we were to explain the downfall of previous Afghan constitutions and regimes by a single defining factor, it would be the exclusion of rival, mostly defeated groups by the rulers. Amanullah’s liberal constitution ignored the will of a considerably traditional society. Zahir Shah’s constitution aimed at marginalizing Daud Khan. Daud Khan tried to crackdown on Khalqis and Parchamis. Communist administrations excluded the Islamists. Islamists, including the Taliban, attempted to eliminate each other, while the Islamic Republic ostracized the Taliban. In most of these cases, the once defeated and excluded individuals and groups returned victorious only to form their own exclusivist regimes. As this vicious cycle of exclusion continued, so did the downfall of governments.

Dr. M. Bashir Mobasher‏‏

Dr. M. Bashir Mobasher‏‏

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