By Afshain Afzal

Today President Donald Trump raised his hand on Holy Bible to sworn in as 47^th President of USA. Earlier his inauguration speech was remarkable and served as a ray of hope for making America great and efforts to bring peace in the world especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. His speech gave an assurance of religious freedom and freedom of speech. He also announced some of the names of his hardworking team; some of them really patriots and wonderful people. President Donald Trump would be lucky to have in his tenure as US President the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angles Olympics as well as USA’s 250 years celebrations.

President Donald Trump highlighted that he intend to cut taxes, end inflation, slash prices, raise wages and bring back thousands of factories back to USA through tariff and smart policy. He announced strengthening America, modernizing military and rebuild entire military. He sarcastically claimed that Washington gave billions and billions of dollars to Taliban and a big chunk of American military equipment to Afghan enemy. No one can deny the fact that US and NATO forces took along all the military equipment while some were transferred to Iran. There was a junkyard of destroyed and unserviceable US military equipment in Afghanistan that foreign forces left at the time of withdrawal from Afghanistan. Taliban cannibalized and make some road worthy by changing the engines and replacement of other parts from other vehicles of different types; some are now in good shape.

File Photo: Afghanistan

On wonders why President Trump felt unserviceable and destroyed US leftover equipment so important that he had to mention in his speech. It can be either pressure from war veterans or because of Afghanistan proved to be a bleeding wound for USA where beside heavy toll of US servicemen and others, Americans committed a crime of killing over 1.6 million innocent unarmed Afghan men, women and children as well as raised to ground all the major standing structures everywhere. In the process Washington destabilized her economy and lost respect as world leader.

 President Trump reminded that US pay billions of dollars each year to Afghanistan and if billions of dollars are to be paid to Afghanistan; Washington will not give money unless they give back American military equipment that US allowed them to have them. Outlining the strategy, he announced that Washington will give Afghanistan only couple of bucks and tell them that US wants military equipment back so that Americans can build their once great cities including capital in Washington DC making them safe, clean and beautiful again.

 It is encouraging that President Trump felt concerned about loss and destruction in California wildfires and announced employment of best builders in the world to rebuild California more beautiful in all respect. But what about whole of the Afghanistan, US and allies destroyed during two decades of occupation. Most of the present Afghan interim government leaders are not Taliban but compromised Taliban and others who long time back surrendered before western agencies in Doha; some of them are having strong connections with Tehran while others with New Delhi. Everyone has a lot of expectations from President Donald Trump as instrument of peace. It his time that Washington and the UNO must review towards Afghanistan and allow their full recognition on the assurance of compliance with international obligations and the law for peace in the region and beyond.