Ryan Crocker, former U.S. foreign ambassador, spoke Tuesday at the University of Idaho, encouraging students to enter the foreign service in his “The Meaning of Afghanistan” talk.
Crocker, who served as ambassador for Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon, spoke to UI students and faculty on past and current issues that surround the Taliban and U.S involvement in Afghanistan.
He believes a new generation of foreign service officers can pull the U.S. out of its current trajectory with involvement in countries, such as Afghanistan, .
Crocker discussed the poor consequences of the Middle Eastern country’s new government. In particular, he voiced the issues that Afghanistan women and girls faced in the original takeover of the Taliban in the 1990’s and how history could repeat itself.
“What pains me as an American is the lack of voice, progressive female voices in this country,” Crocker said.
According to Crocker, what is currently happening to Afghan women, echoes the original Taliban’s restrictions of rights for women.
Regarding the U.S.’s involvement in Afghanistan, Crocker said the U.S. is strategically impatient with international scenarios and the impatience leads to detriment in American diplomacy.
“Was it an absolute strategic necessity to get out of Afghanistan?” Crocker asked. “It absolutely wasn’t.”
Former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden were both critiqued by Crocker during his lecture when it came to their strategies in addressing Afghanistan. Crocker said Trump played a role in the current trajectory of Afghanistan’s path as did Biden as a sitting president. The rhetoric that local issues in the U.S. are more pressing is a stance former president Barack Obama, Trump and Biden have all taken, Crocker said.
Victory and defeat are irrelevant terms to Crocker in the discussion of Afghanistan and involvement in the country. He said they don’t apply because of the complexity of the situation, including the government and international relations – no one’s a winner.
Crocker’s title, “The Meaning of Afghanistan,” wasn’t necessarily used to find a resolution, but to discuss the topic and the influence that international relations have on the current situation. Crocker advised students to take an interest in foreign service to help address the future problems of diplomacy.
Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected]
Erin Fanning
Crocker's talk brought up some interesting points! Thanks for reporting on this important topic!