The Foreign Service Journal, May 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2020 11 give significant assistance to Afghan resistance fighters loyal to the former king, instead acquiescing to Pakistan’s opposition to any restoration and back- ing radical Islamist resistance elements subservient to the Pakistani military and, especially, Pakistani intelligence. Afghanistan is not, and never was, a hopelessly failed state. Within living memory it was a successful, prosperous, democratizing state. Any hope of restor- ing Afghanistan to the ranks of indepen- dent, united democratic states depends on preventing neighbors from utilizing proxies to divide the country. n Edmund McWilliams FSO, retired & former Special Envoy to Afghanistan (1988-1989) White Oaks, New Mexico Share your thoughts about this month’s issue. Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org