The struggle for power in Afghanistan and the problem of foreign intervention: A new road map for the international community

The Afghanistan geography which is located at the crossroads of great civilizations was invaded by ancient powers many times throughout the history. Since 1747, the founding year of modern Afghanistan, the country has been shaken by endless power struggles. Many countries including the UK, the USSR and the USA, and international organizations intervened in the struggles of power in Afghanistan. None of so-called interventions, which were made in favor of one of the conflicting parties, brought peace or stability to Afghanistan. Especially internal strife after 1973, armed confrontations with the occupying Soviet forces, the ensuing civil war and the Taliban terror left Afghanistan in ruin, and the people have suffered from an unprecedented destruction, cruelty and poverty. Most striking aspect of the problem is that the international community, which shifts its focus to other hot topics and priorities overnight, turns a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. This study intends to underline the fact that the internal strife in Afghanistan is an ethnic war fought for capturing Kabul and dominating the government. Taliban, although it has proved to be a brutal terrorist organization, has a strong power base within the Pashtun community, and claims to be their representative in this ethnic rivalry. The formula to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan is not to gain a military victory on the other side, but to eliminate the reasons which result in the ethnic struggle for power. What the country needs is to build a pluralist democracy, which is based on universal principles, and where rights and freedoms are put under constitutional guarantees. This study, in which generally qualitative search methods are employed, examines Afghanistan's demography, struggles for power, foreign interventions and thoughts for a viable Afghan peace. Keywords: Afghanistan, power struggle, Taliban, terror, foreign intervention, peace.