US-Afghanistan History in Light of bin Laden Demise

Hamed Wardak, in a recent article in Huffpost World, spoke about the death of Osama bin Laden, describing it as “one of the most singular moments of our lives. The man, whose death we do not mourn, launched terrorist actions around the globe and ultimately precipitated the involvement of United States (U.S.) forces in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is where I was born, yet I have spent most of my life as a refugee because of external forces. My homeland has not known peace in more than 30 years, thanks to the Soviet invasion in 1979, the war of liberation against the Soviet occupation, the ensuing civil war, and the subsequent rise of the Taliban theocracy that supported bin Laden. Many of my fellow countrymen have also been forced to live elsewhere as refugees, but now is our moment to shine. The demise of bin Laden is simultaneously the dawn of a new era for Afghanistan. Consequently, we must seize this window of opportunity to build on progress made so far toward ridding the country of the Taliban and stabilizing it for a government that will be supported by the people.”

Hamed Wardak is an active Afghan, working for the betterment of relations between Afghanistan, Washington D.C. and the American People as well as the improvement in the quality of life for the people of Afghanistan.