"As for the United States' future in Afghanistan, it will be fire and hell and total defeat, God willing, as it was for their predecessors - the Soviets and, before them, the British"
About this Quote
The historical roll call - Soviets, then British - is the rhetorical spine. Omar is recruiting memory as a combatant, invoking Afghanistan’s mythic reputation as an “empire graveyard” to frame the U.S. not as a unique superpower but as the next arrogant entrant in a humiliating tradition. That’s clever propaganda: it flattens wildly different conflicts into one repeating pattern, creating a sense that American failure is not merely likely but inevitable. If inevitability is accepted, resistance becomes rational, even sacred.
Subtextually, the quote is also about legitimacy. By predicting “total defeat” and attaching divine sanction, Omar positions his side as history’s and God’s instrument, while casting the U.S. as a transient occupier doomed by hubris. It’s meant to stiffen local resolve, attract recruits who want to join the winning side, and signal to wavering Afghans that collaboration is betting against both nation and heaven. Context matters: this kind of language thrives in asymmetrical war, where controlling the story can matter as much as controlling territory.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Omar, Mohammed. (2026, January 16). As for the United States' future in Afghanistan, it will be fire and hell and total defeat, God willing, as it was for their predecessors - the Soviets and, before them, the British. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/as-for-the-united-states-future-in-afghanistan-it-126683/
Chicago Style
Omar, Mohammed. "As for the United States' future in Afghanistan, it will be fire and hell and total defeat, God willing, as it was for their predecessors - the Soviets and, before them, the British." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/as-for-the-united-states-future-in-afghanistan-it-126683/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"As for the United States' future in Afghanistan, it will be fire and hell and total defeat, God willing, as it was for their predecessors - the Soviets and, before them, the British." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/as-for-the-united-states-future-in-afghanistan-it-126683/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.





