When history repeats itself, the first time is tragedy, the second farce. This Karl Marx remark is now a received wisdom. President Ashraf Ghani has blamed Afghanistan’s fast-deteriorating security situation on a “sudden” decision by the United States to withdraw its troops. The US decision, no doubt, is a repeat performance. There is no point in debating over what actually is taking place again in this landlocked country. President Ghani’s remarks are hardly different from prime minister Imran Khan’s. According to the latter, “the US really messed it up in Afghanistan”.

Sohail Khan (Islamabad)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021