Diplomacy is not a sign of weakness.
Today, some Afghans are criticizing Aisha Wahab because she said that America should use diplomacy with Afghanistan, no matter who is in power.
But I have one simple question:
If we disagree with someone, is war the only solution?
Diplomacy does not mean that you accept the Taliban, support their policies, or stay silent in the face of injustice. Diplomacy means keeping the door open for communication, even with people you strongly disagree with.
You cannot put out a fire with more fire. If a house is burning and you pour gasoline on it, the fire will only become worse.
Afghanistan has experienced more than forty years of war. Again and again, we thought maybe we could solve our problems with guns. What was the result?
People were killed. We became refugees. Homes were destroyed. Generations were left behind in education. Governments came and went, but the pain of the people remained.
Even enemies who fight each other on the battlefield eventually have to sit at the same table. So why should thousands of people die first, only for both sides to finally sit down and talk?
Diplomacy means dialogue with pressure, conditions, demands, and accountability. America can talk with the Taliban while also putting pressure on them over girls’ education, women’s rights, security, minority rights, and the freedoms of the Afghan people.
Talking to a government does not mean being friends with that government.
A doctor must first face the patient in order to treat the illness. Facing the patient does not mean accepting the illness. The goal is to find a treatment.
We Afghans should learn one important lesson from our history:
A war can begin in a few minutes, but its wounds can remain for generations.
Diplomacy does not always work. But as long as there is a chance for dialogue, words should be tried before bullets.
Afghanistan does not need another fire.
Afghanistan needs wisdom, dialogue, political pressure, and a path that prevents its people from once again becoming the victims of someone else’s war.
Noor Wodjouatt
