Wistful and Futile Expectations from U.S. Election!

News:

The discussion over the U.S. election has recently been heated in Afghanistan by various spectrum of population, often with mixed feelings of concern and hope. Some believe that Donald Trump’s victory may shift U.S. policy towards Afghanistan, while others see the potential win of Kamala Harris as beneficial for Afghanistan.

Comment:

A nation that lacks power, unity, and a strong unified government will ultimately see its destiny shaped by the decisions of others. Today, the Muslim world wistfully awaits to see which U.S. presidential candidate will win and what strategy s/he may adopt towards Islamic lands. Some hope that the success of a particular candidate might benefit Muslims or perhaps lead to an end to the Gaza conflict.

Those who have knowledge about the power structure in the United States will easily realize that changes in U.S. administrations or the ruling party are unlikely to bring about fundamental or profound shifts in America’s core policies, especially on strategic issues. This is because the “Deep State” in the U.S. is responsible for formulating and steering the country’s fundamental, broad, and strategic policies. The Deep State is composed of a network of institutions and influential forces that set the fundamental principles and directions of U.S. foreign policy, regardless of short-term administrative changes. Therefore, a change in administration and/or party may only have limited effects on U.S. policies in various matters, particularly with regard to Afghanistan.

Although there are differences in how Republicans and Democrats execute the U.S. foreign policy, both parties show little distinction in their hostility and aggressive policies towards Islam and Muslims. For instance, George W. Bush, a Republican, ignited the brutal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while Barack Obama, a Democrat, expanded the agenda of ’War on Terror’ to other regions by employing airstrikes, drones, and suppressing the Arab Spring and Syrian revolution. Similarly, Donald Trump not only recognized Jerusalem (Bait-ul-Muqadas) as the capital city of the Jewish entity but also deployed the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ in Afghanistan; likewise, Joe Biden, a Democrat, provided financial, military, and political support to the Jewish entity aimed at butchering the Palestinian children in Gaza. Thus, their policies against Muslims show little difference; one party may behead us harshly while the other may do it more subtly.

Since America’s humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, the U.S. has shown limited or even no interest for direct military intervention in the country, as the U.S. is now occupied with other complex global issues, including Indo-Pacific tensions, the Russian-Ukraine conflict, the Gaza and Lebanon wars, and its domestic challenges. Therefore, despite differences in approach between Republicans and Democrats, a fundamental shift in U.S. policy towards Afghanistan is unlikely to take place; however, the ‘containment and engagement’ policy toward the Taliban will likely continue. The main difference may lie in the Republicans possibly using greater pressure tactics to influence the Taliban, as Trump indicated during his campaign, expressing dissatisfaction with the current level of pressure on the group.

What is regretful is that today the Islamic lands are heavily influenced by a global secular order and the policies of non-Islamic powers. Muslims watch the U.S. elections with inferiority and wistful contempt, wondering which candidate will prevail: the inexperienced and incompetent Harris or the erratic and narcissistic Trump. In contrast, the Khilafah (Caliphate) was once recognized as an independent, influential global power and Muslims were seen as a powerful and respected nation, influencing other nations. Today, the leaders of Islamic lands unfortunately find themselves in a submissive position, following and practicing the policies of major global powers.

(مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًۭا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ)

“The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of a spider spinning a shelter. And the flimsiest of all shelters is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew.” (Ankabut:41)

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Yosuf Arsalan
Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Afghanistan