In 2009, Lee Kuan Yew Had ‘Predicted’ The Outcome of the Afghanistan War

By
Shawn Ambrose
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For the last 20 years, the US has been trying to build a democratic nation out of Afghanistan, a country rife with internal conflict.

The US initially invaded the country in 2001 when it was under the control of the Taliban, as the Taliban refused to hand over Osama Bin Laden, the man behind the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington.

But US troops ended up staying for twenty years, pouring billions into their war with their Taliban and efforts to create a democracy in Afghanistan.

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Now that they’ve left, Afghanistan is seemingly right back where it started, as the Taliban seized control of the country as US troops started returning home.

Our first prime minister seems to have known this would happen, and even said so in an interview over 10 years ago.

In 2009, Lee Kuan Yew Had ‘Predicted’ The Outcome of the Afghanistan War

In a 2009 interview with Charlie Rose, Lee Kuan Yew argued that America’s aim of building a nation in Afghanistan was always going to be a futile exercise.

Calling it a “distraction”, Lee noted how there has been civil war in the country for decades, ever since “the last king was chased out”.

“How on earth are you going to put these little bits together? It’s not possible,” he said.

At one point in the exchange, Rose pointed out that observers will criticise the US for “abandoning” Afghanistan, saying America has to “stand for something and it has to show it’s prepared to stay.”

Lee’s response, while brief, was telling: “No.”

Lee said he believes that the US can be a “benign stabiliser of the world order”, as seen in East Asia.

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“You brought peace and technology, trade and investments and East Asia flourished,” Lee said.

But when asked how the same could be done in the Middle East, Lee laughed, and replied, “You can’t solve all the problems in the world.”

He certainly hit the nail on the head with that one.

You can watch Lee’s interview with Rose below. Their exchange on Afghanistan’s issues begins at the 34:12 minute mark.

Biden: Afghanistan Was Never About Nation-building

The current president of the US certainly agrees with Lee’s prescient assessment, saying America’s mission in Afghanistan was never about nation-building.

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Instead, its aim was to prevent a terrorist attack on American soil.

Biden also stood by his decision to withdraw US troops from the war-torn country.

“I stand squarely behind my decision. After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces,” he said.

“How many more generations of America’s daughters and sons would you have me send to Afghanistan’s civil war?”

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Featured Image: YouTube (wakui00)

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]