Afghan-American Relations In The Pre-Cold War Era: 1921-1948

Öz

Much has been written about Afghan-American relations during the Cold War and post-9/11 periods. But the interwar period (1921-1948) have received less scholarly attention, despite the period’s critical importance in shaping the trajectory of bilateral ties. Afghanistan’s repeated efforts to establish formal relations with the US during this era met with long-standing hesitation and delayed reciprocation. Despite Afghanistan’s proactive and repeated diplomatic overtures, it took over a decade for the US to recognize Afghanistan’s independence and even longer to establish a permanent diplomatic presence in Kabul. In this context, this study aims to explore Afghanistan’s interwar period diplomatic efforts to forge ties with the US, uncover its core motivations, and investigate the factors driving America’s disengagement policy and reluctance stance. The study delves into reveal the complexities of early Afghan-American relations, where geopolitical calculations, economic pragmatism, and misperceptions shaped the interactions between the two nations. In doing so, it highlights a crucial yet under-discussed chapter in the history of Afghan-American relations, offering new insights into the dynamics of diplomacy during the interwar period.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Afghanistan
• US
• Diplomacy
• Cold War
• Foreign Policy

Kaynakça

1. Britannica (n.d.) Most Favoured Nation Treatment. https://www.britannica.com/money/most-favored-nation-treatment (Accessed: 20.05.2023).
2. Clements, F. (2003) Conflict in Afghanistan: A Historical Encyclopedia. California: ABC-CLIO.
3. Gregorian, V. (1969) The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan: Politics of Reforms and Modernization. California: Stanford University Press.
4. Janse, D. (2021) Russian Interests in Afghanistan. Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies Reports, No. 1, October. https://www.ui.se/globalassets/ui.se-eng/publications/sceeus/russian-interests-in-afghanistan.pdf (Accessed: 12.03.2023).
5. Irwin, L. G. (2012) Disjointed Ways, Disunified Means: Learning from America’s Struggle to Build an Afghan Nation, South Carolina: CSIPP.
6. Office of the Historian (n.d.) William Harrison Hornibrook 1884–1946. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/hornibrook-william-harrison (Accessed: 14.03.2024).
7. Poullada, L. B. (1981) Afghanistan and the United States: The Crucial Years. Middle East Journal 35(2), 178–190.
8. Rakove, R. B. (2023) Days of Opportunity: The United States and Afghanistan before the Soviet Invasion. New York: Columbia University Press.

9. Rasanayagam, A. (2010) Afghanistan, A Modern History: Monarchy, Despotism or Democracy? The Problems of Governance in the Muslim Tradition. New York: I. B. Tauris.
10. Roberts, J. (2003) The Origins of Conflict in Afghanistan. Connecticut: Praeger.
11. Rouland, M. (2014) Great Game to 9/11: A Concise History of Afghanistan’s International Relations. Washington D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program.
12. Runion, M. L. (2007) The History of Afghanistan. London: Greenwood Press.
13. Saikal, A. (2004) Modern Afghanistan: A History of Survival and Struggle. New York: I. B. Tauris.
14. Shroder, J. (2014) Natural Resources in Afghanistan: Geographic and Geologic Perspectives on Centuries of Conflict. California: Elsevier.
15. Trani, E., & Wilson, D. (1977) The Presidency of Warren G. Harding: American Presidency. Kansas: University Press of Kansas.
16. U.S. Department of State (1936) Foreign Relations of the United States: 1921, Vol. I. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
17. U.S. Department of State (1941) Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers 1926, Vol. I. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
18. U.S. Department of State (1946) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1931, Vol. I. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
19. U.S. Department of State (1951) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1934, Europe, Near East, and Africa, Vol. II. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
20. U.S. Department of State (1953) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1935, General, The Near East, and Africa, Vol. I. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
21. U.S. Department of State (1953) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1936, The Near East and Africa, Vol. III. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
22. U.S. Department of State (1954) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1937, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East and Africa, Vol. II. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
23. U.S. Department of State (1954) Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers 1938, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East, and Africa, Vol. II. Washington D.C. Government Printing Office.
24. U.S. Department of State (1959) Foreign Relations of the United States, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Vol. III. Washington D.C. Government Printing Office.
25. U.S. Department of State (1963) Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers 1942, The Near East and Africa, Vol. IV. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
26. U.S. Department of State (1975) Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) 1948: The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Vol. V, Part 1. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
27. Votichenko, T. A. (1948) Developments of the Quarter: Comment and Chronology June 1-August 31, 1948. Middle East Journal 2(4), 447–468.
28. Wahab, S. & Youngerman, B. (2007) A Brief History of Afghanistan. New York: Facts on File.