Dissent: The Afghan Majority is Not Represented at Pugwash Meetings

Sandra Ionno Butcher
Flat A Museum Mansions
63A Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3BJ
United Kingdom

Dear Ms. Ionno Butcher:

On January 23 and 24, 2016, in Doha, Qatar, Pugwash convened a meeting on peace and security in Afghanistan. These talks are in addition to the four way talks being held in Pakistan. Once again the Afghan majority is not represented at these peace talks but rather sitting at the table were war lords, drug traffickers, war profiteers and Afghans, who work for foreign intelligence agencies such as the CIA ( Dr Qayyum Kochai),(Anwar-ul Haq Ahadi) MI6 (Dr. Farouq Azam), ISI, KGB and the Chinese intelligence agency. As history has shown, anytime the West is losing its war in Afghanistan, it convenes peace talks and invites these Afghan intelligence agents, war lords and war profiteers to be the participants. Out of 55 participants only four Afghan women were invited. If the majority of the participants were Afghan women, who did not have any ties with foreign intelligence, then there would be a better chance for justice and peace. The sad thing is these talks will not lead to true peace or justice for the Afghan people because these intelligence agents, war profiteers, and warlords are looking out for their own interests and those of foreign countries. Due to the make up of these talks, I strongly believe the outcome of any continuation of these talks will be the status quo and not justice and true peace.

Before there can be true peace in Afghanistan there needs to be justice. War criminals from 1978 to the present need to be prosecuted in a national or an international criminal tribunal. To date, the Afghan majority has not received justice. Without justice there can be no peace. The former Soviet Union and the West have erected roadblocks to such justice. The West has protected war criminals such as Rashid Dostum from being prosecuted and the world has protected the former Soviet Union war criminals from being prosecuted for their war crimes committed against the Afghan people during the Soviet Union’s invasion and occupation. Sadly for the Afghan people, these farcical peace talks will not lead to justice or peace. I think they will just lead to the status quo of occupation, war, puppet governments, war profiteering, foreign control of the Afghan’s Rare Earth Elements and spying.

As I stated earlier, I strongly believe the proposed four-way talks, which were to be held in Pakistan in January, 2016 regarding peace in Afghanistan, are a waste of time. First of all, I believe the proposed talks are not sincere but rather are just for appearance. Representatives from Pakistan, China, the U.S. installed Kabul Administration, and the United States will have representatives present to establish the framework for reviving peace talks with the Afghan freedom fighters. Lacking at the table will be representatives of the Afghan freedom fighter. This four-party committee will establish the framework, the preconditions and conditions for any so-called peace talks. I believe that the Afghan majority, who are represented by the Afghan freedom fighters, will not have any input when establishing the framework and preconditions to talks.

For many years, I have seen this same strategy used by the Israeli government when establishing a framework with preconditions to peace talks with the occupied Palestinians. Using the Israeli strategy, the four-parties will establish and set preconditions which they know the Afghan freedom fighters and the Afghan majority will not accept and/or not be able to meet. The four-parties know that the Afghan Freedom Fighters will not come to the peace table if Pakistan is involved. The Afghan freedom fighters do not want a repeat of the mistakes made during the 1980s when Pakistan was involved in peace talks.

Thus, when peace talks are held and the Afghan freedom fighters do not come to the table, then the four-parties will blame the failure of the so-called peace talks on the Afghan freedom fighters, while making themselves look like they were sincerely extending an olive branch. I strongly believe the intention of the four-parties is to establish a framework of preconditions or “hurdles” they know the Afghan freedom fighters will not or cannot jump over. The four-parties will then say we tried to establish peace through talks but the Afghan freedom fighters refused to participate and did not meet the preconditions for talks.

Why are the four-parties establishing a framework to revive farcical peace talks? I strongly believe the U.S. government and the U.S. installed Kabul Administration do not really want peace and stability because the U.S. government wants to have military presence in Afghanistan long term. The U.S. wants an outer defense perimeter in Central Asia and to secure a new supply chain and control of Afghanistan’s minerals especially its Rare Earth Elements (REEs) which are vital to U.S. defense technology. The U.S. government cannot justify its long term presence to the U.S. people unless there is a continued Afghan resistance and instability. To keep the Afghan resistance going, the U.S. needs to continue its divide and conquer tactics with Afghans fighting Afghans. Likewise, the U.S. installed Kabul Administration and all of the other war profiteers will not profit if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan.

In the 1980s, I fought the Soviets and the Afghan communists to stop their occupation and the spread of communism. Now, I see that communist China and Russia, with its KGB Putin, are gaining influence in Afghanistan, which greatly concerns me. They are our enemies.

I hate war. I know the suffering that war causes. It is time to end the cycle of war and suffering. It is time for sincere peace talks. It is not the time for a framework established by the four-party committee through talks that will place the usual hurdles and unattainable preconditions to peace talks. The U.S. needs to change its war strategy to a peace strategy.

First of all, from the start,  I believe that the invasion and continued occupation of Afghanistan is illegal. Second, based on this illegality, I believe that any agreements, such as the Bilateral Security Agreement, signed by the corrupt, puppet Afghan government are not lawful and tainted by this war. The United States’ invasion and occupation of Afghanistan violates the UN Charter and international law. The United Nations’ Charter is a treaty which was ratified by the United States. As a ratified treaty it became part of U.S. law. Therefore the U.S. must comply with the UN Charter. Article 2 (4) of the Charter, bans the use of armed force against another country except under two circumstances. It reads, “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” This article has also become part of the international customary law.

Under the UN Charter, there are two exceptions to the ban on the use of armed force. First, a country can use armed force against another country in self-defense as provided for in Article 51. Second, a country can use armed force when the UN Security Council approves such force to maintain or restore international peace and security. Neither of those exceptions was met before the United States invaded Afghanistan and began waging war.

The United States’ war in Afghanistan is beyond the scope of self-defense allowed by Article 51. Self-defense can only legally take place when an armed attack takes place against a state. The Afghan government in 2001, led by the Taliban, did not attack the United States on 9/11. Nineteen individuals, fifteen (15) from Saudi Arabia, attacked the United States. Also, individual Afghans did not attack the United States. That is a fact. During the past twelve plus years, no evidence has ever been produced by the United States to the contrary. Propaganda, speculation and expert opinions in the media do not constitute credible and relevant evidence. Furthermore, there was no imminent threat that Afghanistan would attack the U.S. or another UN member country. Self- defense can only be used to repel an attack. Immediately after the tragic events of 9/11, the attacks stopped. There was no imminent threat to attack the U.S. by the Afghan government before or after 9/11.

In addition, the UN Charter and well established international customary law, provide that self-defense would warrant only measures, which are proportionate to the armed attack and necessary to respond to it. It must not entail retaliatory or punitive actions. The United States’ war tactics in Afghanistan are retaliatory, punitive and illegal. In and of itself, the use of cluster bombs, drones, uranium tipped weapons is a disproportionate use of force and unnecessary force. The United States’ illegal use of self-defense is collectively punishing an entire nation. It is in violation of the UN Charter and international law. Furthermore, the right to Self-Defense set forth under Article 51 cannot be legally used against Afghanistan because the Afghan government allegedly refused to extradite Bin Laden. Extradition matters are resolved through peaceful measures in courts and not through the use of armed force with massive cluster bombs, drones, uranium tipped weapons etc. which have killed thousands of innocent Afghans and ordinary Americans serving in the military, during the past twelve years. This illegal war and continual killing of innocent Afghans violates the UN Charter and international law. It is not legal self-defense under the UN Charter, international law or any law.

When the United States invaded Afghanistan, the United Nations’ Security Council did not authorize the United States or any country to use military force against Afghanistan under Chapter VII (7) of the UN Charter. The UN Security Council can invoke Chapter VII use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security only when actual military force was being used. “Terrorism” can be a threat to international peace. However, during the past twelve plus years, there has been no evidence showing that the Afghan government or any Afghans committed or were involved in the tragic terrorist attacks on 9/11 nor that it was a threat to international peace and security. I believe the United States’ war in Afghanistan is illegal and amoral and has only led to a vicious cycle of blood shed,  genocide, drug trafficking and corruption.. Thus, I believe that any Bilateral Security Agreement would not be legitimate as it was signed by a corrupt, puppet government not supported by the majority of Afghans.   Although some weak –minded, puppet, and war profiteering Afghans argue that if there are no foreign permanent military bases inside Afghanistan, our neighboring countries will invade and take our territory. As history has shown, Afghans are capable of defending Afghanistan even against super powers and countries that have more sophisticated weapons. 

In addition, I believe that the U.S. government wants to force Pashtuns, who are the majority and native people of Afghanistan, out of   Afghanistan, our homeland.  I believe they want to especially remove Pashtuns from areas where the Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and other minerals are located. I believe the majority of the current Afghan government, drug traffickers and other war profiteers are helping and allowing this to happen. Just take a look at what is happening to the Afghan villages and villagers located in these areas especially where the vast deposits of REEs are located in Helmand Province. Ordinary Afghans in these areas must be allowed to financially benefit from their resources just like Alaskans benefit from their oil and other resources. All Afghans in the present and in future generations should benefit from this vast God-given mineral wealth and not just a few puppet Afghans, war lords, drug traffickers, foreigners and war profiteers, who are greedily controlling everything now.

Communist China has the other largest deposit of REEs discovered to date. Those vast untapped REEs and other minerals are used for defense systems and technology. They are the most valuable resources in the world. They are worth trillions of dollars.  Control of those areas with those REEs are seen by the superpowers as vital.  I believe  the vast untapped mineral wealth and REEs are the main reasons why the United States wants to have its permanent military bases in Afghanistan. The United States government needs a new supply chain for REEs. It even addressed this issue in congressional committee meetings. It does not want to rely on China for REEs.  By bombing, by the use of special forces and paramilitary CIA troops, through ethnic cleansing by the national northern alliance troops, the destroying of villages and agriculture, and contaminating the water and soil with uranium from their weapons, they are systematically forcing Pashtun and other Afghans to leave these areas. I believe these are war crimes.   I think they want to contain Pashtun in the tribal areas, which is the same tactic the Israeli government has done to the Palestinians in GAZA and West Bank areas. 

I believe it is in the best interests of the American and Afghan people if the United States stops its current approach of war against the villagers in these
areas, who are fed up with the corrupt  puppet Afghan government and sick of the war and occupation by the United States.  Forcing a bilateral security  agreement with  Afghan puppet governments is not  legal nor the proper way to work out a deal regarding the REEs with the  Afghan villagers, who do not see the puppet government as legitimate nor respect it. I believe the present approach will only back fire and not be in the long term best interests of  ordinary Americans and  the super majority of Afghans.

In order to control Afghanistan’s REEs and other minerals,  I believe the United States is using weak and greedy puppet Afghans to divide Afghans. This division causes Afghans to not pay attention to what is really happening especially now in this critical period and beyond. This division is causing Afghans not to pay attention to their vast untapped mineral wealth, which is and will be exploited.   I believe that Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, its vast untapped REEs and other minerals and its native, majority population, the Afghans/Pashtuns, are in jeopardy.  I believe this division is causing the Afghans not to pay attention to the Bilateral Security Agreement, which I believe has led to a perpetuation of war and  instability.

In 2016 and beyond,  I believe the new war approach that the United States and NATO will be using, small groups of  special operation  soldiers and CIA paramilitary troops against Afghans, especially Pashtun villagers,  will only cause more blood shed and division and not lead to peace and stability.  I think that Afghanistan, the United States and the world can only benefit from the vast untapped REEs and mineral wealth, if there is justice for the Afghan majority, stability and true peace, so that the most efficient extraction and mining methods can be used. Everyone will be able to benefit from this mineral wealth and not just war lords, war profiteers, corrupt officials and foreigners. 

Many respected, educated, non-violent Afghans from our group and other groups have been talking with other Afghans for years about how to bring justice, peace and move forward. We have even developed peace plans. Will Afghans be allowed to achieve true peace and reconcile? So far Afghans have not been allowed. Are the United States, the United Nations and the Security Council going to allow Afghans to achieve true peace and stability? Are the United Nations and the Security Council going to allow the United States and NATO to continue occupying Afghanistan with permanent military bases and continue scape goating, killing and terrorizing Afghans? Are the United Nations and the Security Council going to allow the West and the war profiteers to continue stealing Afghanistan’s Rare Earth Elements and continue polluting the environment with uranium from their uranium-tipped weapons and continue the dumping of their nuclear waste ? Are the United States, the United Nations and the Security Council going to continue allowing war criminals like Rashid Doshtum to go unprosecuted for their war crimes against Afghans?

The super majority of Afghans, who suffered for the past three decades, want and deserve justice.  In 1989, Afghans were denied justice as no international war crimes tribunals were  held to prosecute the Soviet war criminals and Afghan communist war criminals. There can be no peace without justice. I believe there can be no representative  government when there  is widespread corruption, war, and permanent foreign  military bases in Afghanistan. I believe the current U.S. war approach with its bilateral security agreements is just a formula that perpetuates the continuation of  occupation, division, corruption and war.

For the past fifteen years, war profiteers, war lords, corrupt officials, Afghans, who are foreign intelligence agents, and their foreign friends  have been and still are looking out for themselves. I believe the minority, war profiteers, should not be allowed to sideline the majority, Afghans. These Pugwash and four way talks will sadly maintain the status quo of occupation war, puppet U.S. installed Kabul Administration, war profiteering, foreign control of the Afghans’ REEs and spying because the participants and players at the table are the same. The Afghan majority are not invited. Justice has not been provided to the Afghan majority. As history has shown without justice there can be no peace.

Justice and true peace are the only solution. There can be no legitimacy of government without the inclusion of the majority of Afghans. There can be no representative government as long as there is widespread corruption, drug trafficking and occupation/war.

Please see the attached photos of the effects of this illegal war, which is genocide of the Afghans/Pashtuns. I believe these Pashtun villagers are victims of war crimes in this illegal war which is really a U.S. government and war profiteers’ attempt to control Afghanistan’s REEs and other earth materials. I hate war. I only strive for justice and peace.

My deceased father, Khan Mohmand, always told me that if you highlight a problem you must also have a solution.  Please see our attached peace plan. I think it provides solutions.

No justice no peace.

Sincerely,

Kadir A. Mohmand

Former Representative of the Afghan Freedom Fighters for North America during the 1980s

6147 Old Log Trail

Kalamazoo, MI 49009

(269) 353-7044