US along with its coalition partners launched the longest war of US history against Afghanistan after 9/11. Within days of military operations it toppled Taliban government and installed a new government. The new afghan government formally took control in 2004 with full backing of US and the international community for 17 long years.

During the past 20 years US followed dynamic military strategy employing all the latest and destructive tools it had on its inventory. Similarly the coalition partners also did their best. There had been constant upgrade and revision of policy but the military operation failed to create the desired effects. Military commanders demanded more and more and finally Obama administration had to ordered surge in 2009. This was also not fruitful. Then came the change in policy and Afghan National army was brought in. US and coalition forces took the back seat and handed over the mission to well equipped and trained Afghan army in 2014.   

The amount of resources and money spent to topple Taliban, install new democratically elected government and establish a well trained and equipped afghan army were unprecedented. The human causalities suffered by the US and coalition forces and the afghan nationals both civilians and insurgents were enormous. What has been achieved is in front of us. Where are we heading from this. Let us look at the possible future scenarios of Afghanistan

There are three prominent scenarios in the near future

1. Black hole.  The worst case scenario in which the country may plunge in to civil war internal disintegration, appearance of new warlords and pockets of resistance, disorder and lawlessness, external support to various warring groups. Afghanistan is usually referred as the graveyards of empire. And I think it had become one with no hope of making it a garden of happiness. If the current policies as being adopted by US and international community continued there are great chances that Afghanistan may end up being a black hole of the world. We need to be careful to allow this thing to happen. 
2. Mud walk. This scenario represent an Afghanistan that is fully integrated in international system struggling to adopt modern state system but heavily dependent on international support. This case may be the desired case by the international community but is not sustainable and we have an experience of this failure. This is not the desired scenario though seems to be the likely scenario. The country may survive but on ventilators.
3. Rising sun. This is the best case scenario where in the gradual turning of darkness into light takes place. Healing the wound of people long tired and target of systematic violence initiated and tolerated by the international community. In this scenario Afghan people are facilitated to implement whatever system of governance they wish to implement. All possible financial and material support extended in the fields demanded and desired by the afghan people and not forced on them. Who so ever is in power must be given time to establish control and then be gradually encouraged to develop a civilised society for the good of their people and the entire humanity.      

The future outcomes of afghan crises depend upon our realistic evaluation of the situation, accepting our collective mistakes and learn from them. This war was launched in hast to restore national pride and ego of one nation at the cost of entire humanity. It was an elephant in the China shop destroying ever thing employing sheer exuberance and power. New tools and terminologies were used to cover the hidden agenda. Indiscriminate un-proportionate use of force in an unjust war against innocent people continued for more than two decades.

Now once everything tested and tried has failed, there is a desire that order must be restored, human rights be observed, all inclusive government be established so that the same international community, which was a party in the bloody conflict can offer their recognition to the newly formed government.

We need to understand that Afghan society is a tribal society and modern principles of statehood and governance are not applicable even if implemented and tried honestly.   A gradual approach is the only solution to first create an appeal and favourable environment and then start with phased step by step approach afghan lead owned and implemented.

There is also a need to objectively understand the Sharia law as being desired by the Taliban government without any prejudice and malice. Modern democracy may be the best system for European nations and some other western countries celebrating a culture based on secular ideology and agnostic political philosophy. This however is not the case in Muslim countries especially in Afghanistan. There is a greater need to look into the demand of sharia law from purely operational and administrative perspective. It should not be viewed as a threat to modern liberal order. It should be evaluated as a positive progressive alternative system to resolve much of our current international problems. After all human thought needs further development. We have seen the ills of materialistic individual based modern liberal order under the clutches of capitalism, concentrating the wealth of humanity in few hands. Islam and its universal laws offer a fresh look to faith based ideology with all inclusive knowledge and thought based systems for the good of society as guided by the creator of the universe.

It is right time that Christian world together with Muslim world help build a better future for humanity. There is a need to understand Islam as a saviour of humanity and not a threat to modern world order. We need to consider the local tradition and culture before implementing any change in a society. The societal engineering by force may not succeed. And finally the concept of war and peace has been blurred by the prevailing hybrid state. The economics of order and disorder is leading the international system. We need to return to the high moral principles of human society else the greed of the few powerful will destroy our planet. We all collectively need to think and implement for the good of our collective human interest.