The players of the Cold War have reassembled, rejuvenated after a brief interlude, and are once again gathering fuel for a new conflict—this time in Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the flames of this war will not be confined to these regions; they will extend through Iran and into Balochistan. In this raging inferno of destruction and bloodshed, old traces will be erased, and new ones will emerge.

The last Cold War was waged against the Soviet Union, with China merely observing from the sidelines. In the upcoming conflict, China will be the principal adversary, while Russia assumes the role of a silent spectator. Europe and its allied nations find themselves in a state of uncertainty, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump distanced Washington from its traditional European allies, instead favoring closer ties with Russia. Consequently, Europe and its allies may shift toward China, perceiving Russia as an expansionist and cultural-economic threat, while viewing China primarily as a competitor in trade and consumer markets. The psychological dynamics between Europe and Russia closely resemble those between India and Pakistan.

Over the past two decades, the United States invested heavily in Afghanistan’s infrastructure, institutions, and security apparatus. It withdrew under the Doha Agreement, believing—incorrectly—that the Taliban........

© The Spine Times