Afghanistan -Recent

The U.S. hegemony, on the pretext of peace and democracy, is the root cause of enduring instability in the Middle East, said an Afghan political analyst in the capital Kabul on Wednesday.

On Aug 15, 2021, Taliban forces entered and seized control of the capital city of Kabul, prompting a hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan.

In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Afghan political analyst Sayed Qaribullah Sadat criticized the U.S. for its 20-year war in Afghanistan, which, he said, left countless civilians dead or displaced and continues to inflict suffering on the Afghan people.

According to Sayyed, the two-decade-long U.S. presence exposed the reality behind its human rights and democracy rhetoric, which he described as mere tools for advancing regional dominance.

This pattern, he argued, is consistent with U.S. actions elsewhere, including its deep involvement in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Current and former U.S. officials have revealed that since the conflict's escalation, the U.S. government has secretly approved over 100 separate arms sales to Israel, fueling further violence.

Shotlist:
Afghanistan -Recent:
1. Cityscape;
2. Various of vendors, consumers at market;
FILE: Kabul, Afghanistan - 2024
3. Various of traffic, pedestrians;
Kabul, Afghanistan - Aug 28, 2024
4. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, Afghan political analyst (ending with shot 5):
"They came to Afghanistan under the banner of peace and democracy but it became clear that their true intention was not to change or build our country, but to turn Afghanistan into a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) stronghold. They do not want the Afghan people to achieve development and progress.";
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - Aug 25, 2024
5. Various of destroyed buildings, debris;
Kabul, Afghanistan - Aug 28, 2024
6. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, Afghan political analyst (partially overlaid with shot 7):
"Human rights, peace, and democracy are just instruments for them (the Americans) to achieve their goals. We are now witnessing firsthand how U.S. claims of peace and democracy have exacerbated the Palestine-Israel conflict. Countless lives have been lost under the U.S. bombs.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
Gaza Strip - Aug 26, 2024
7. Refugee camp;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
8. Refugee camp.

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