By Hanif Janan
The retaking of Bagram Air Base is not merely a military or strategic matter. It strikes at the heart of Afghanistan’s sovereignty, the values of jihad, the loyalty of its people, and the careful policies of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). Over the past twenty years, the United States poured billions of dollars into Afghanistan, squandered thousands of soldiers in a futile war, and endured one of the most disgraceful defeats in its history. This outcome was no accident. It was the result of Afghan courage, the lives laid down by the IEA’s leaders and youth, their steadfast commitment to jihad, and the resolute measures taken to defend national independence.
Over those twenty years, IEA leaders, fighters, and ordinary families gave their lives, their livelihoods, and their resources for the cause they believed in. They withstood every form of pressure to defend their homeland, their honor, and their freedom. With confidence in their courage, their sincerity, and the certainty of divine aid, they endured hardship after hardship for the sake of sovereignty. Any future attempt to retake Bagram cannot alter that reality. Afghanistan today possesses independence, dignity, and the strength of its people to resist external coercion.
Bagram once served as the beating heart of U.S. and NATO operations. Under the IEA it has assumed a different role, vital to national security and domestic stability. Should Washington seek to reclaim it, whether through direct force, symbolic pressure, or by exploiting regional rivalries, it will find its efforts broken against the IEA’s stance, the backing of the Afghan people, and the principle of sovereignty.
The sacrifices made in the course of jihad were not in vain. They demonstrated to the world that Afghanistan has the will and the capacity to resist. Time and again, the IEA’s youth and leaders overcame adversity, holding fast to their vision of independence and grounding their authority in values that are sacred.
Afghanistan is now fully sovereign. No superpower should imagine marching in again or attempting to seize even a fraction of its territory. Any such move would drain American wealth, cost the lives of more soldiers, and end once more in humiliation. Two decades of war failed to secure Washington’s objectives. To try again at Bagram, or anywhere in Afghanistan, would be to record another chapter of disgrace.
The devotion of the IEA’s leaders, young fighters, and ordinary citizens is proof that Afghanistan will not bend. Sovereignty, independence, and popular support remain its shield. Any plan to capture Bagram is destined to unravel, confronted by a united population, an immovable political position, and the tangled dynamics of the region.
Afghanistan stands today with its dignity intact, confident in its ability to meet any global power. The IEA speaks often of detailed plans to protect sovereignty and withstand challenges ranging from economic pressure to foreign interference. Its position, strengthened by unity and sacrifice, forms a barrier that outside powers have not been able to breach.
Regional actors, including China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan, have also learned to acknowledge Afghanistan’s stance. They recognize that sovereignty here cannot be undermined. Any U.S. bid to seize Bagram would only unsettle the delicate balance of influence in the region, deepen Washington’s political and strategic losses, and, paradoxically, strengthen the IEA.
The IEA’s legitimacy rests on sacrifice, on the defense of sovereignty, on popular backing, on honor and devotion to country, and on faith in divine support. A renewed American attempt at Bagram would do little more than highlight earlier failures, drain more resources, and leave behind another legacy of loss.
Afghanistan today stands independent, with a government determined to protect stability and the confidence of its people. The message sent through the sacrifices of its youth is unambiguous: no superpower should attempt to undermine the sovereignty of this land. To try would not only doom American policy to failure but would reinforce the IEA’s standing, preserve Afghan sovereignty, and enhance the country’s stature abroad.
In the end, Bagram is not simply an air base. It symbolizes sovereignty, sacrifice, public loyalty, independence, and the certainty of divine assistance. The IEA maintains that it is prepared for any challenge, whether internal or foreign, through unity and endurance. Afghans, with courage and devotion to homeland and honor, have already proven their resilience. After twenty years of struggle, Washington should not repeat past mistakes. Another attempt to take Bagram, or any piece of Afghan soil, would mean nothing but squandered wealth, lost soldiers, and another historic defeat.
Afghanistan stands independent and unbroken. No power in the world should imagine otherwise. The lesson is clear, written into history: Afghanistan remains the graveyard of empires.