OC "Generation Z" Afghans Give Perspective on Afghan Peace Talks

Orange County “Generation Z” Afghans are happy to share insight about the peace talks held between Afghanistan, the United States and the Taliban, and how the war has shaped their lives.

For most Generation Z Afghans living in the Orange County area, their parents emigrated from Afghanistan within a few years of when the war started. Yasmine Atta, 19, was able to share firsthand experience about how the wars in Afghanistan have shaped her life.

She explained that when her mother was attempting to leave Afghanistan, she was caught in-between military crossfires. Atta continued, explaining that her parent’s feelings towards the wars in Afghanistan are, “more rooted in anger”, since they had to experience it firsthand.

She additionally gave insight as to why these peace talks are so important, saying, “any sort of peace talk is better than what my parents endured.”

The most recent development of the peace talks come from Thursday’s meeting. U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, a top U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, said via Twitter that the United States and the Taliban both agreed to “re-set actions by strictly adhering” to the terms of a previous agreement.

The agreement was to reduce the levels of violence in Afghanistan, to sever the Taliban’s connections to other militant groups and for the United States to withdraw the last 4,500 military troops stationed there.

Afghanistan has been at war since December 1979 when the Soviet Union first invaded in an attempt to stabilize Afghanistan’s unstable political climate. Since Afghanistan is the crossroads between Central and South Asia, it slowly became a global battleground.

The United States became involved in Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago in conjunction with Britain. Both countries invaded Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks and attacked via an intense bombing campaign. The goal was to remove the Taliban regime from power and to dismantle al-Qaeda’s base of operations.

Of the United State’s involvement in Afghanistan, Atta says, “I don’t appreciate it”, expressing distaste to how some of the United States military has acted while stationed there.

“We have people, like some of the American snipers, who were in charge of killing civilians”, Atta explained. “It’s just heartbreaking to see.”

In May, The Defense Department released data in relation to payments for civilian deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since 2015, the United States has allocated just under $4.9 million in ex gratia payments, according to a government document. Ex gratia payments are reserved for civilians who have experienced, “property damage, personal injury, or death as a result of U.S. military activities.”

On the other hand, Mina Miskinyar, 19, said she is very thankful that the United States became involved in Afghanistan. “I cannot stand the Taliban and the terror they have caused.”

Since the United States invaded Afghanistan, negative stigma has surrounded Middle Eastern communities across the country. Miskinyar shared that while she was attending Capistrano Valley High School, other students would go up to her and her other Middle Eastern friends, saying, “hey, bomb squad!” and would call her a terrorist.

“One time, this boy I didn’t even know came up to me and my friends and said, ‘hey bomb squad’”, she shared. “I did not know him, I’ve never talked to him before. You can’t just say that.”

“Whenever we would learn about 9/11 in school, people would [look at me],” Miskinyar explained. “And it’s just like… oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t even alive yet. I was still in the womb.”