Student Question
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, how does U.S. foreign policy contribute to Afghanistan's chaos?
Quick answer:
U.S. foreign policy contributes to Afghanistan's chaos by perpetuating continuous warfare, as depicted in A Thousand Splendid Suns. The novel illustrates how constant conflict, from Soviet-backed communists to the Taliban and American intervention, has destabilized Afghan society, preventing peace and stability. While American intervention is seen as preferable to Taliban rule, it lacks clarity on long-term outcomes, suggesting that war remains a constant, chaotic force in Afghan lives.
In A Thousand Splendid Suns, one way that American foreign policy has led to continuing chaos in Afghanistan is by continuing war.
The characters in Hosseini's work have known nothing other than war. Its presence has uprooted their lives. It has forced them to leave Afghanistan. If the remained, they have seen war result in continual changes of government. From Soviet-backed communists to the rise of the Muhjaideen to the emergence of the Taliban to the presence of American forces, war has been constant in the lives of the people in A Thousand Splendid Suns.
War has not resolved anything for the lives of the Afghan people. They have not known peace and the stability that is a part of it. Instead, the turbulent destruction of war was always been a part of their world. American foreign policy perpetuates this condition. The novel makes it clear that American intervention is probably better for Afghanistan than Taliban rule. However, there is not much in way of clarity as to what will happen once the American forces enter. When Laila and Tariq return to Afghanistan, hope in American military intervention is communicated. Yet, there is also the reality that American military operations will simply continue a life of war that has become commonplace for Afghan people. This chaos seems to be the only constant, something that continues even with the American forces entering the region.
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