02.09.2021, Moscow.
The withdrawal of the US contingent from Afghanistan ended the era of forced imposition of democracy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on September 2 at a meeting with athletes in the Sverdlovsk region.
Lavrov was thus commenting on US President Joe Biden’s recent remarks that the United States and its allies were ceasing the practice of military intervention in “undemocratic” states. Lavrov clarified, however, that although Western leaders have learned a lesson from the failure of the Afghan campaign, the imposition of Western values and nonmilitary actions will continue.
“We have something to say with regard to those actions that the West presents as an absolutely infallible line, which everyone should take as a guide to action. We respond with deeds,” Lavrov said.
The last US soldier left the territory of Afghanistan on August 31. The military operation, which lasted almost 20 years, was not a success, and the people of Afghanistan were not willing to accept ideas brought from outside.
Background
In 20 years, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the area under opium poppy cultivation in the country has increased more than 20-fold. Afghanistan now accounts for more than 80 percent of the global market for opiates, of which Russia is one of the main consumers.
After 20 years, the main target of the US invasion of Afghanistan, the Al Qaeda group (organization banned in Russia) continues to operate on the territory of the country, maintaining strong ties with the Taliban (organization banned in Russia).
Meanwhile, in recent years Afghanistan has become a refuge for a new global threat, the ISIL terrorist group (organization banned in Russia).
According to Russian experts, in 20 years the US and its NATO allies have failed to create their own combat-ready security forces in Afghanistan, capable of successfully countering the
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
