Amrullah Saleh, the former First Vice President of the fallen republic and a former CIA agent, is recognized not only for his suspicious and mysterious missions and wavering positions within Afghanistan, but also as an ambiguous, value-less, and enigmatic figure. His stances towards other countries, particularly the United States, are equally filled with ambiguity and inconsistency.
Continuing this pattern, Saleh has at times acted as a close agent of the United States, sometimes showing exaggerated sympathy towards them, while at other times expressing grievance, accusing them of betrayal and disloyalty. His true nature became even more exposed after he assumed the role of First Vice President under Ashraf Ghani. He would become particularly distressed when his interests were threatened by the Americans—especially during election campaigns and notably when the United States decided to withdraw from Afghanistan following its defeat.
Saleh strongly encouraged the Americans to stay in Afghanistan, even offering them various concessions and preferences and showering them with numerous titles. At times, he practically auctioned off Afghanistan’s values to them, agreeing to terms far beyond acceptable limits. However, once he realized that the Americans were serious in their decisions and, under immense pressure, had acknowledged their defeat—thereby threatening his personal interests—he began to voice grievances, accusing them of betrayal, treachery, and -in their term- disloyalty to their allies.
After the fall of the republic, Saleh’s positions grew even more feeble and directionless. He accused the Americans of failing to support him and instead favoring the Taliban—despite the fact that the United States had suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Taliban, turning a twenty-year hostility into an eternal enmity.
All of Saleh’s positions reflect a deep personal disorder, a self-centered focus on personal gain, a detachment from core values, estrangement from his own people and nation, and a weak, inconsistent outlook. He is committed to no values, loyal to no one, and trustworthy to none. Everything he does is weighed against his own interests and preferences. As a result, he now stands alone in an empty arena, his voice unheard, and he suffers from the incurable affliction of instability and inconsistency.
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