Sitting between the infamous Tora Bora and Hindu Kush mountains in eastern Afghanistan lives a man most Americans do not know. He is one of Afghanistan’s most fierce warriors. One who led numerous battles against the Russians as they relentlessly failed to seize the Pech and Korengal River Valleys. His name is known throughout most of eastern Afghanistan because he is looked at similar to how we portray our favorite athletes–he is a legend and his name is Abdul Haq.
Abdul Haq now lives in Nangahar Province, Afghanistan. He has his own little compound where .50 caliber bullet proof mud walls surround the perimeter, armed guards, and plenty of malnourished dogs run around barking at the sign of any outsider approaching. Haq not only knows how to secure himself, he knows how to secure others too.
I met Abdul Haq back in the summer of 2008. His stories of fighting against the Russians were fascinating. His knowledge of tactical operations in Afghanistan is even more impressive. The following are just a few of many key points from my initial five hour interview with him:
Haq: “Never forget that in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.”
This statement was in reference not to the people of Afghanistan rather the United States “occupation” of Afghanistan. Haq believes the United States and its coalition in Afghanistan is blind. The Afghans have found a way to play us to their advantage. We have put billions of dollars into the development of Afghanistan and lost too many coalition lives in the process. While Afghanistan may be portrayed as a backwards third world country, they are not blind–they have at least one good eye.
Haq: “The Taliban today are cowards. They are nothing like those of us who fought against the Russians. Today’s Taliban in Afghanistan don’t even know why they are fighting the Americans other than for revenge–revenge for the past. You see, numerous Afghans were forced to flee Afghanistan during the Russian war. Families went to Pakistan, they were educated in Madrassas, and then they became ‘Arabized.’ Many feel that the Americans betrayed us after we defeated the Russians.”
During Charlie Wilson’s time, Haq makes a great point. Maybe we did betray the Afghans, maybe we didn’t. This subjective statement is all about perception. Perception is reality though whether we like it or not. This is how many Afghans feel and the only way to mitigate this perception is by showing them who we truly are as a nation–one of giving, respect, and honor. Putting billions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure into the country does not portray these key values to the Afghans. Their perception of such attributes comprises of “joining forces,” working closely with the former Mujahedeen, and continuously interacting with the local indigenous persons–not securing ourselves by sitting on mega bases every day throughout a deployment. His methodology of fulfilling such tactical practices makes sense.
Haq: “Afghanistan can succeed, and this is how it must be done–Utilize the old Mujahedeen Warlords to secure their own areas, then, when they need assistance, bring in the Afghan National Police. Next, use the Afghan National Army, followed by the Afghan National Army Special Operation Commandos joined with U.S. Special Forces. Lastly bring in the U.S. conventional military.”
Needless to say, it appears as though Abdul Haq may have read U.S. Counterinsurgency Field Manual 3-24. Our own military leaders have read this manual too but how well they are applying it remains questionable. Let’s not forget, Haq himself was a former insurgent leader which means he also knows how to counter insurgent activities.
When asked about Osama Bin Laden, Haq surprised me with his comments. He relayed information I was not prepared to hear. In fact, to begin his depiction of OBL, he used a story that I will never forget–something common for Afghans to do in an attempt to portray reality to any subject.
Haq: “A damn was built. A mouse lived by the damn and the people didn’t do anything to get rid of the mouse even though they witnessed it digging a hole. Because the people did nothing about the mouse, the mouse was able to dig numerous holes which ruined the damn.”
Haq knows what Bin Laden had done to his country. He knows that he ruined it by bringing Arabized radical Islam into the nation during the Russian War. He admits that Bin Laden was a mouse that ruined the damn of Afghanistan which once kept the nation at relative peace prior to the Russian invasion. But he also believes OBL not to be the warrior many assume him to have been.
Haq: “I knew Osama Bin Laden from the Russian war. He was a coward. I never saw him engage the enemy (the Russians). He was used by many Mujahedeen leaders during the time for his money and international connections. You Americans believe he is the mastermind behind Al Qaeda–he is not. Killing him will not destroy Al Qaeda. If you want to destroy Al Qaeda, you must destroy the Muslim Brotherhood and Bin Laden is not the Brotherhood–Zawahiri is.”
Ayman Al-Zawahiri is the mastermind behind Al Qaeda. He is a known Muslim Brotherhood member. There is no question that Bin Laden was the international figurehead of AQ but truth is, he simply served more as the financier, cheerleader, and social conditioner.
There is no question that Bin Laden should have been brought to justice. But based off what Abdul Haq teaches us, we should be prepared for an ongoing battle against Al Qaeda. Many others have assumed prominent positions within AQ leadership ranks long before OBL’s death. The organization prepared itself for the death of Bin Laden and they have likely prepared to resume operations globally without him. There are hundreds of lessons to be learned from a former Mujahedeen like Abdul Haq–are we listening?
Kerry Patton has served in the U.S. Defense and Justice departments, and as a contractor within the Homeland Security and State departments. He has worked in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, focusing on intelligence and security interviewing current and former terrorists, including members of the Taliban. He is the author of “Sociocultural Intelligence: The New Discipline of Intelligence Studies” and the children’s book “American Patriotism.”
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