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Look! No Bullet Vest! The Braveheart Of Afghanistan

March 09, 2020

Golnar - Kabul

President's Ashraf Ghani's Brave, Simple Gesture Unites Afghans

As he took oath for the second time, the venue was rocked with loud gunshots and bomb blasts. Any other country, any other leader would have been jolted enough to hurriedly follow the security protocol and conclude the oath taking ceremony within the confines of a secure presidential palace under the shadows of the Army.

Not so in Afghanistan, not so with President elect Ashraf Ghani. He raised both his hands, motioning the guests to remain clam. Then he patiently waited for loud the noises and commotion to die down, as his anxious security chiefs fretted about nervously. As if it was merely a round of applause from his guests, he waited for the noise to die down before continuing.

Then with a sense of bravado, he flipped open his waistcoat and declared, "I'm not wearing bullet proof cloths. Im wearing ordinary cloths. This chest is ready to be sacrificed for #Afghanistan and my people"

"I'm not wearing bullet proof cloths. Im wearing ordinary cloths. This chest is ready to be sacrificed for Afghanistan and my people"

That gesture rang louder and far wider than the rockets fired and bombs detonated in the whole of Afghanistan. The message was not lost on Afghans. As the sound of rockets and explosions subsided, the crowd erupted with loud cheers, chanting "Long live Ashraf Ghani!" Soon, social media was awashed with Afghans young and old, across the world, posting their pictures flipping open their waist coats as an act of defiance against violence and blood-shed.

That gesture rang louder and far wider than the rockets fired and bomb blasts detonated in whole of Afghanistan

President Ashraf Ghani is one of the most educated world leaders amongst the current crop of prime ministers, presidents, dictators and royals ruling directly or indirectly their respective countries across the world. A holder of a PhD degree, he taught at the reputed University of California, Berkeley in 1983 and later on, at the Johns Hopkins University from 1983 to 1991. While working at World bank, then president Hamid Karzai invited him to be his chief advisor to better utilize his academic as well as professional skills to streamline the finances of the war troubled Afghanistan.

While his opponent Abdullah Abdullah held his own swearing-in ceremony same time while Ashraf Ghani was taking oath, rejecting the presidential election results announced in Feb 2020, declaring Ghani's win as illegal and void because of rampant vote-rigging and fraud. International community has sided with Ashraf Ghani, but that does nothing to mend the political fissures in an already politically splintered country, where such rivalries has led to violence and widespread bloodshed.

President Ashraf Ghani is one of the most educated world leaders amongst the current crop of prime ministers, presidents, dictators and royals ruling directly or indirectly their respective countries across the world

US Peace Deal With Taliban

US, with a view to the looming presidential election and placate their home crowd. The peace accord is already showing signs of strain, and political infighting in Afghanistan will strain it further. Following an agreement with its sowrn enemy, the Taliban, US troops are happily standing down and sheathing their weapons, looking forward to leave the country unscathed, thus President Donald Trump fulfilling his promise to ending the USA's longest and slow bleeding war.

Will Ashraf Ghani Undermine US-Taliban Peace Deal

At his end, President elect is opposed to Pakistan and has astutely linked the release of thousands of Taliban prisoners with the armed militia breaking ties with neighboring Pakistan as one of its pre-conditions. The landmark deal comes after months of brinkmanship by all parties concerned, was signed in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 29. Brokered with the aid of Pakistan, it lays out a schedule for a full US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months.

Ashraf Ghani throwing his weight around, and jeopardizing Pakistan's regional ambitions might be one of the most important impediment to a full US withdrawal, since fourteen months is a long time for anything to happen. The agreement is expected to lead to a meaningful dialog between the Kabul government and Taliban reaching an agreement, thereby ending the bloody armed conflict raging since 2001. While Taliban awaits the release of 5000 prisoner, some of them hard core dangerous terrorists, threatening to attack Afghan armed forces while looking the other way as far as US army is concerned. Afghanistan meanwhile is looking upto Ashraf Ghani's intellect and resoluteness to get back to the days of glory and peace.

Will Ashraf Ghani Undermine US-Taliban Peace Deal

At his end, President elect is opposed to Pakistan and has astutely linked the release of thousands of Taliban prisoners with the armed militia breaking ties with neighboring Pakistan as one of its pre-conditions. The landmark deal comes after months of brinkmanship by all parties concerned, was signed in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 29. Brokered with the aid of Pakistan, it lays out a schedule for a full US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months. Ashraf Ghani throwing his weight around, and jeopardizing Pakistan's regional ambitions might be one of the most important impediment to a full US withdrawal, since fourteen months is a long time for anything to happen. The agreement is expected to lead to a meaningful dialog between the Kabul government and Taliban reaching an agreement, thereby ending the bloody armed conflict raging since 2001.

While Taliban awaits the release of 5000 prisoner, some of them hard core dangerous terrorists, threatening to attack Afghan armed forces while looking the other way as far as US army is concerned. Afghanistan meanwhile is looking upto Ashraf Ghani's intellect and resoluteness to get back to the days of glory and peace.


Golnar from Kabul - Afghanistan

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vpatrika.com Staff

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