by Batko Milacic – Independent analyst – for The Saker Blog
The Taliban really wants to prove to the whole world their legitimacy and readiness for dialogue. The radical Islamists who have established control over most of the territory of Afghanistan have learned from their mistakes 20 years ago. They even created an anti-terrorist structure, however, the question is, who will it catch? Now the Taliban need international recognition and diplomatic relations with the leading players in international politics.
True, they do not intend to hold elections and referendums, having taken power by force, which is not very welcomed by international law. However, as long as there is even a drop of hope in the West and in Russia that the Taliban will be able to turn Afghanistan into some kind of a stable country, the Taliban can really count on the actual recognition of their power. China, which simultaneously persecutes its own citizens, the Islamist Uyghurs, and supports Pakistan, which actually lives according to Sharia law, is not afraid of the Taliban. China’s tough laws allow Beijing to believe that the People’s Army and Security Services will easily eliminate any threat of terrorism.
However, the West should not flatter itself for two reasons. First, because of democratic values. They are the cornerstone of European democracy, which is at the heart of the very existence of the EU. Only a democratically elected government is legitimate. And in Kabul, radical Islamists have not held and will not hold anything even remotely resembling an election. Secondly, the Taliban is not a political party, but a very radical political and religious organization. It pursues the goal of spreading its ideology to at least all the historical lands of Muslims from Chinese Xianjing to Spain! And their weapons are terror, sabotage, propaganda.
Seeing Taliban Afghanistan as a way to distract Russia from European problems is like taking napalm to ants in your house. The ants will burn, but the house also will burn with them. Terror has no boundaries. So, whether old Europe wants it or not, the only alternative to the Taliban now is the abandoned leader of the National Resistance Front, Ahmad Masud, who continues to fight in the Panjshir Gorge! However, he has enough potential allies. It must be known that the Taliban are, first of all, the Pashtun movement – an ethnic group that makes up 50% of the population of Afghanistan.
Massoud, on the other hand, represents not only the democratic forces, but also 23% of local Tajiks. He, in turn, is supported by the Hazaras (10%) and Uzbeks (9%).
In addition, the danger of ethnic cleansing of local Tajiks and Uzbeks is forcing Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to support the last stronghold of democratic forces in Afghanistan. Namely, relying on the ethnic diversity of Afghanistan, Masood, who still remains in the country and controls part of the Panshir province, repeatedly declares the need to create a more decentralized government and de facto federalization of the country.
He started talking about it back in August after giving up his decorative position in the Taliban government and continues now. According to Massoud’s plan, the regions should receive more autonomy, and ethnic groups more rights. This, at least, will allow them to protect themselves from the Taliban laws at the local level. This is especially significant if we keep in mind that Taliban laws are contrary to all modern legal norms. In support of Massoud’s ideas, rallies are held in the provinces inhabited by Uzbeks and Hazaras. For example, in the mountainous Bamiyan, 130 kilometers from Kabul. There, under the pro-Masudian slogans, the riots have been going on for days. Locals are asking the Taliban to leave, and radical Islamists are afraid to take tough measures …
Russia also demands an inclusive, democratic government from the Taliban, although it is obvious that Moscow, will in any case, be forced to communicate with the new masters of Kabul. Without the intervention of the Kremlin, the region will face a big war, and this is not good for Europe. The flow of refugees, and with it the terrorists, will rush not to the north, to Russia, but along the old routes through Turkey and Greece to prosperous Europe.
So, Ahmad Massoud remains the only hope for containing the Taliban, and perhaps those who can transform Afghanistan into a relatively peaceful federation, where there will be no ethnic cleansing that radical Islamists have already begun in Panjshir. And the Western world is simply obliged to support him, to support pro democratic forces – perhaps even enlisting the support of Russia.
I do not wish to appear rude Batko but you should really read your fellow columnist Amir Nour’s article. With all respect that will give you a better idea of what the Taliban are all about.
/international-order-world-order-order-of-the-world-and-things-to-come/
…Only a democratically elected government is legitimate.…
Not really. ‘Legitimacy’ of a government is in the eye of the beholder.
About 50% of Americans still dispute the legitimacy of Biden’s democratic election as president.
The Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia and UAE rule their countries without the benefit of being democratically elected. Last time I checked, the Europeans are very chummy with them, they’re ‘legitimate’ as far as Europe is concerned. Assad and Maduro won elections in their countries but they’re not ‘legitimate’ to the West.
As for the rest of the article, I can only say that the weight of history sometimes rests heavily on our shoulders and some of us just can’t seem to shake it off that we may see more clearly.
It’s more that that u are saying not only about the government but bigger things
> About 50% of Americans still dispute the legitimacy of Biden’s democratic election as president.
About 50% is ~50% that could be and is < 50%. That's the definition of majority in democracy. Don't flub the well known facts.
Taliban took power with a gun and it's easy to let a round of AK off to scare the common man than rule a country. Add to it backward looking views on everything and no tradable asset other than opium, you really think anyone wants to deals with Taliban or Afghanistan? Even the Chinese will not, even if the talibs promise no trouble.
Remember, Unicol wanted to do TAPI but the talibs wanted 10% on top of transit. To all who come here and cheer for the fundamentalist mullahs, I say, prove it. Or as the saying goes, put your money where your mouth is.
Don’t flub the well known facts.
And what are the facts?
Trump received 47.7% of votes cast. Most people would say that’s about 50%.
“Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill (R) is disputing claims by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell that cybercriminals “flipped” 100,000 votes in Alabama from Donald Trump to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election”
https://politicalwire.com/2021/09/22/alabama-election-official-disputes-claims-by-mike-lindell/
“The first batch of aid brings the deep love and friendship of the Chinese people and reflects China’s role as a major country that keeps its promises and is kind to its neighbors, which is a great move to build a community with a shared future for mankind, said Luo Zhaohui, head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.”
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-09-29/China-provided-aid-arrives-in-Kabul-Afghanistan-13Xrd1lRyBW/index.html
Of those who voted for Trump, most of them, 40 million or so, are evangelicals who also believe the Earth was created exactly 6025 years ago and the Sun is its planet. If their charlatan pastors tell them that Trump won the election, it MUST be true. Trump was their ticket to the rapture so of course he “won” the election. As one of them, Steve Pearce, chairman of the ReTrumplican Party of New Mexico said last December, “[Trump] is our president FOREVER and no one can take that away from us.”
Afghanistan has much more to offer than opium, in fact official studies already shows hundreds of billions if not trillions worth of natural resources and the country has barely been surveyed. And I’m not sure what to make of “10% on top of transit”, is it a bad thing for Afghanistan to be a tough negotiator? Besides are you familiar with the details of the deal? If not, then your comment is meaningless. As for “proof” you’re just as destitute as the next guy, so why not give the benefit of doubt and let time reveal its plans in due course? Unless of course you’re a proponent of “guilty until proven innocent”.
Now I can fully understand why one wouldn’t readily sympathize with the Talibans, but the fact remains they are Afghani Pashtuns, and their social and cultural values and mores are pretty much shared by all other Afghani tribes. So Afghanistan’s internal problems are not religious or ethical in nature, but are due to tribal rivalry. and any legitimate government would probably promote the same type of laws. The only way to change that would be the installation of a puppet regime such as Masood’s “resistance” faction which represent the miniscule fraction of foreign educated urban liberals, and we should all know by now how that will end up.
Like it or not a free Afghanistan will never resemble your ideals, but rest assured no one requires you to, least of all the Afghanis.
> Besides are you familiar with the details of the deal?
LOL. I was not at the table, but search the net. That’s what scuppered a promising deal. TAP became TAPI so the scope got even bigger. Tough negotiation, huh? They shot themselves in their foot on what could have led to a stable country with steady revenues and prosperity, but turned it into a wasteland of despair.
> Like it or not a free Afghanistan will never resemble your ideals, but rest assured no one requires you to, least of all the Afghanis.
Tell that to the Afghani’s landing by plane loads in USA. They are being cared, housed and set on a productive path. They should be so disappointed for leaving their promised land.
To be fair, the Afghans “landing by the plane loads in USA” are doing so only now after the Taliban takeover. What that says to me is that they are not fleeing Afghanistan, as much as they are fleeing the Taliban.
And as I am personally familiar with a case or two of Afghan officials and their families who are now on the run, I can say with some certainty that if “the network” — as they call it — wasn’t hunting them down and sending them death threats all the time, they would have had no reason to leave their country.
So, one could argue that your plane loads of people are actually being driven away by the Taliban.
And please, let’s not pretend that these 5 foot tall asiatic dark people are now set for a good life in the USA, when the average American doesn’t even enjoy a good life anymore.
Afghanistan has nowhere to go but up. The USA has nowhere to go but down.
Place your bets, ladies and gents.
> And please, let’s not pretend that these 5 foot tall asiatic dark people are now set for a good life in the USA, when the average American doesn’t even enjoy a good life anymore.
Not sure where you’re from, but the old adage, work hard, keep your nose clean still works in the USA. don’t mix it up or get mixed up. You’ll be just fine. No where else even today one can go from rags to riches without any connections, other than in the USA. Greed is good and is tolerated here. Just don’t be too greedy and you may be cut to size by a pint sized blonde with pretty eyes and perky you know what.
“Not sure where you’re from, but the old adage, work hard, keep your nose clean still works in the USA. don’t mix it up or get mixed up. You’ll be just fine. No where else even today one can go from rags to riches without any connections, other than in the USA.”
In most places in the world, if you work hard and you are smart, you can make it big. And I personally know many people in countries other than the USA, who made it “from rags to riches” without any connections, and just through hard work and some luck.
Honnestly I think I should be the one LOLing right now: when is the last time a US consortium ever brought peace, prosperity and a “steady stream of revenues” worth mentioning? So again unless you know all the details of the deal you’re only relying on “opinionated articles” that are over 20 years old. Meanwhile today this is what we find on the net
https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2021/08/25/taliban-says-ok-for-afghanistan-tapi-gas-pipeline-work-to-continue-as-kabul-banks-reopen/
https://tribune.com.pk/story/731317/tapi-pipeline-officials-to-finalise-contract-award-in-ashgabat-next-week
As for those poor “Afghani’s landing by plane loads in USA” (and I’m not being cynical), they don’t even represent 1% of the population, so you cannot objectively consider them representative of the population, no matter how you stretch it, or how deeply you may feel about them.
But guess what? I doesn’t even matter since both our opinions are inconsequential in the end, so I’ll leave it at that.
50% +1 does not equate to legitimacy, especially in a constitutional Republic. Especially in an America that is becoming increasingly fragmented in regards to a common identity.
§§§:Taliban took power with a gun ………
But did they?
They were fighting a foreign occupation force.
Who decided to up and leave.
The Afghan “army” the occupation force left abandoned, barely resisted the transfer of governance.
The Taliban were fighting illegitimate invaders.
To date they have averted civil war.
The resistance in on remote valley is Mi6 sponsored. As readers at this blog have noted.
If I remember right, we took control of the country by force back in 1776 (United States) and fought another war to see that it stayed that way, and a government is only legitimate as long as the people have any belief in that system of governance, which we are quickly loosing.
What you are arguing for, eg. supporting the ‘Resistance’ in Panjshir, has been argued for to exhaustion by Iran’s liberals.
The IRGC, usually the first in line to support resistance movements in the region, is backing the Taliban’s horse in this race, and they are steering clear of Ahmad Masoud.
https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/iran-file/iran-file-Iran-loses-optimism-for-cooperation-with-Taliban
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) still likely prefers to work with the Taliban than fight it. IRGC-affiliated media outlets *chastised Iranian reformists who were *calling for a military intervention into Afghanistan to protect Iranian interests and Shia Afghans from the Taliban. The IRGC outlets *argued that Iran should not intervene in Afghanistan like it has in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.”
“So, Ahmad Massoud remains the only hope for containing the Taliban..”
Ahmad Masoud is a boy with no talent and no military experience. The Taliban have boys like him for breakfast.
https://bernard-henri-levy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Notre-resistance-aux-talibans-ne-fait-que-commencer-Ahmad-Massoud-s-est-confie-en-exclusivite-a-Paris-Match-1.jpg — and here he is, all smiles, with the Zionist Bernard Levy
There is no hope of containing the Taliban now through armed resistance, which is their forte, dear Batko. Those who speak of armed resistance, have only civil war to look forward to, which is what the US and Israel are after.
The Taliban have now entered the world of politics and diplomacy, where there are much more varied and better options for containing them, than some Zionist-backed boy with a famous father.
The pressure on the Taliban is immense, make no mistake. They are entering a world now that is far more complex than anything they had ever dreamed of in their caves, and every other player in this world is much more well-versed in its ways than the rookie Taliban.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/09/bilateral-bonding-over-the-taliban/ — “In the last few weeks, Iran and Pakistan have had a flurry of meetings to discuss Afghanistan’s future amid the emerging situation. Arguably, Pakistan and Iran’s roles in Afghanistan have become pivotal to prevent another civil war among different ethnic and ideological factions.”
I appreciate that the Saker publishes both anti-Taliban views, like this one, and pro-Taliban voices, like Zamir Awan. It provides some measure of objectivity.
> I appreciate that the Saker publishes both anti-Taliban views, like this one, and pro-Taliban voices, like Zamir Awan. It provides some measure of objectivity.
Zamir Awan has been high on thinking ISI beating the US, but the story is really different. I refer you to this: https://asiatimes.com/2021/09/the-taliban-has-a-fatal-cash-flow-problem/
Pakistan is already a basket case and this makes worse. If they trade the nukes for cash, that they may do in desperate times, that blood is on China.
Afghanistan will be fine.
Pakistan is playing point man. China is the good cop, providing relief aid, and more rewards to come. And the Fatemiyoun are the bad cop, where just yesterday Iranian media conducted interviews with some of their members who expressed a desire to go help their people in Afghanistan, if the Taliban continues to oppress them.
As far as rich and reliable benefactors are concerned, China is way up there at the top of the list, and the Chinese are easily capable of quickly developing Afghanistan.
And the Fatemiyoun are IRGC. They are equal to Hezbollah fighters. They are not the Panjshir Resistance.
Pakistan is completely irrelevant. An errand boy who carries messages. If the Pakistanis play ball, they will be thrown a bone.
Pakistan’s future depends on its link to China and China’s new trade routes, and these routes run through Afghanistan. Coupled with the fact that Pakistan is broke, hopeless and desperate, I would say that they are properly motivated to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan.
For Pakistan, that starts with legitimizing the Taliban. Hence, all the propaganda and all the Pakistani trolls out and about.
For everyone else, the best action is to continue what they are doing, and express a healthy doubt and skepticism in the Taliban’s competence and legitimacy. And to deride them for their extremism and historical connections to Al Qaeda and ISIS.
I don’t know what all the negativity is about. Everyone is playing their parts perfectly, and while Afghanistan is in a real sh*t situation right now — it’s not the end of the world — and they can get their act together and make their country work, if there is just peace and stability.
The Panjshir Resistance need to sit the f**k down, or change their name. They are a mockery of the true Resistance, and are in no way affiliated. There is peace in Afghanistan now. What are they resisting? Peace? Finally, after nearly half a century?
The Afghan people want peace and stability, so they can live normal lives. It is their right, and it is in everyone’s best interest to let them do so. Everyone except Israel and the US and those guys.
So, dear Batko, do you think it is a coincidence that Ahmad Masoud has pictures with Bernard Levy?
Why was it included in the peace talks if pak is irrelevant?
Why are countries going through pak to the taliban?
why are officials of other countries visiting pak now?
why did many countries evacuate their citizens through pak?
Pak was one of the countries that recognized the taliban and it’s previous emirate. Orthodox sunni muslim pakistanis have always recognized the taliban, even people from pak government, they are even willing to fight the pak state to establish shariah. Of all the players in afghanistan, pak always maintained that there is no military solution to afghan conflict, and they turned out be to right.
It is not going to change the ground reality that the taliban are back in power, more stronger than before and the invading forces are poorer by 3 trillion dollars than before, with a doubt about their military capability. It is also not going to change the fact that there are embassies operating in afghanistan, unlike the last time in the IEA, and backdoor talks are going on.
The taliban is fighting daesh
The part that some countries are playing and have played is problematic, one of the reasons why afg is in bad situation. With the kind of neighbors that afghanistan has, peace is not possible.
Read the article that you linked, it gives the source of the problem, USA.
The civil war is already happening both the sides the masoud army and the taliban army will continue to fight that will effect the demography that’s what it is all about plus other things and reasons we will see in the near future and in both circumstances its a lose and lose battle for the empire.
“The civil war is already happening..”
What is your source for this claim?
Iranian news crews were there a few weeks ago, the first on the scene, and they described a largely deserted region and reported no fighting happening whatsoever, with Taliban fighters basically all over Panjshir.
And this is the latest news I could find from an empire mouthpiece which would have every reason to make the conflict seem bigger than it is:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/world/asia/panjshir-resistance-taliban-massoud.html — “In Panjshir, Few Signs of an Active Resistance, or Any Fight at All”
Do you even realize how small the Panjshir valley is? Even if the whole of Panjshir were up in arms, it would amount to nothing more than a mosquito bite to the elephant that is Afghanistan.
There are some firefights which source are u referring along Iranian news? There few fights here and there very little of course and its just the start pal. Yes its a small valley but not quite small as a village. In the valley and in the surrounding areas fighting will emerge sooner or later u can save my words and tell me in the near future but what u are saying that fighting is totally stop it isn’t. Its not many tb fighters are dying everyday as reported by pro masoud supporters but but there are some kia in the talibis army.
The NY times and all zio news outlets tell the half truth and yes they the zio make the conflict bigger Infact much bigger than what actually it is.
> China, which simultaneously persecutes its own citizens, the Islamist Uyghurs, and supports Pakistan, which actually lives according to Sharia law, is not afraid of the Taliban.
And has lately been doing more. It’s been chopping off the domes of all mosques in Xinjiang and elsewhere. Guess what? No uproar from the whole Islamic front! Where is Iran, SA, Turkey, all the torch bearers of Islam?
As a counterpoint, if democratic India did this to one mosque, where btw, every standalone mosque has the identifying dome, even the Hindu Indians will send the govt home the very next minute.
Do you think it remotely possible that the Mosques concerned are hotbeds for Wahabism and Salafism? Or to put it bluntly: terrorist factories?
> It’s been chopping off the domes of *all* mosques
>> Or to put it bluntly: terrorist factories?
Obviously, China good. Very good. Very fair.
“> It’s been chopping off the domes of *all* mosques”
Blatant lie
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/muslim-china/mosque-in-china.htm
They even promote tourist tours of historic mosques to Muslims.
“Obviously, China good. Very good. Very fair.”
I never said that! I’m only pointing that you may be jumping to conclusions and that you lack due diligence in your opinions.
“Batko Milacic” doesn’t seem to understand the de-facto reality and realpolitik. Also he seems to be inspired by western mainstream narrative carefully shaped over the decades and thinks this is the only reality.
The Taliban are the resistance movement that fought for the liberation of Afghanistan from occupation forces. The opposition are the comprador elites that not only helped occupy but helped pillage Afghanistan and openly call for foreign intervention and reoccupation. These are simply traitors who could be executed for treason in less confusing times. But they manage to bamboozle and hide behind the garb of rights for minority ethnicities and other liberal slogans tailored for western audiences.
The emirate needs to consolidate power, include people of all ethnic backgrounds based on merit and not just to please. All comprador elites should realize their days in power are over. Taliban should not necessarily seek diplomatic recognition at this point so long as they manage to keep trade open with neighbouring countries
Main goals should be
1. Legitimacy in their own peoples eyes. A powerful narrative built on actions is the best way to do this.
2. Provide security with minimum interference in their peoples lives
3. Trade with neighbouring countries so as to allow people a fair chance to earn a livelihood
4. Prevent rise of crony capitalism with its predatory usury banking and oligarchs.
5. Engage people in government and at all levels based on merit irrespective of ethnicity so long as they stand for Afghanistan and do not call for foreign intervention and have no such history
6. China and Russia have to realize that the emirate is a much better deal than the western backed liberals. The emirate has to be given breathing space. A chaotic Afghanistan with civil war is not a good idea in the midst of eurasia. This will only help the anglo zionists and provide them a launch pad for their destabilizing efforts.
7. Build a narrative based on meriticracy, hard work, justice. Over time diplomatic recognition will come.
8. Work within the framework of the core principles of Islam. This would necessitate upholding principles of love, justice, merit, creating opportunities for development and preventing rise of forces inimical to and planning to usurp to these basic principles and rights.
9. Make sure no big brother government comes into existence. Thus Afghanistan should be a haven where people have not been subjugated by technology. This means no national ID cards and data bases. They have to let their people develop in absolute freedom so long as the basic principles are upheld.
10. The comprador elites had created a fake image of development. The provinces received nothing and most of the population lived hand to mouth. The emirate has to help create real change by making the upliftment of poor downtrodden people a national priority. To do this all they need to do is prevent rise of predatory monopolies. The market forces will do the rest. Just ensure a level field.
So I would suggest the regional countries work to help the people of Afghanistan and realize that the emirate is the best option for this.
me against my brother
my brother and me against our cousin
me, my brother and our cousin against the world.
so no. islam and the afghan/pak. taliban are no threat – they will impoverish themselves fast enough then turn on china along with the numerous manifestations of isis/daesh. smuggling brand new amerikansky weapons riding brand new toyotas.
our problem in the west is entirely homemade – we handed over the reigns of our civilizations to a hostile tribe, that has used our resources to fulfill its own needs. as soon as this tribe is stripped of its influence, the borders can be controlled with EASE – AND by the way, mutually benefitial, friendly connections established with other troubled regions of the globe.
Unfortunately stripping this unnamed tribe of their influence is easier said than done, as most of the important choke points in our society are controlled by them or their lackeys. (media, finance, politics, education)
Taliban is fighting Daesh, so give up the dreams of taliban along with daesh attacking china.
You are weak, so you blame a ‘hostile tribe’. You cannot even fight you own women who are pushing feminazi and LGBTQ+ agenda, forget fighting the ‘hostile tribe’. Your birth rates are falling and the muslim population in your lands in increasing.
According to the Voltaire Network, Massoud-the-son would have fled Afghanistan… anybody have other sources?
https://www.voltairenet.org/article214164.html
NATO, soviet union
anything wrong in being a muslim?
even pakistanis will not agree with this
remember Mosaddegh? what did the west do to him and multiple other latin american countries?
I wonder why the west still recognizes saud clan rule over arabia and the sheikhs ruling over gulf statelets who are not democratically elected.
They taliban can also say that only a shariah based government is legitimate.
Jirga?
Any proof in the form of official statements from the authorized leadership?
Please dont rule out south-east asia, it will give more impact to your claim.
the taliban apparently bomb thousands of civilians in middle east (terrorism), overthrow legitimately elected governments in latin america (sabotage) and have investment in global media churning out fake news every second (propaganda).
Very true, one needs to look no further than NATO and what it did to iraq, syria, libya and Afghanistan.
The paper tiger fled to tajikistan
(https://theintercept.com/2021/09/21/afghanistan-taliban-ahmad-massoud-flee/)
23+10+9=42, which is less than 50, which means that the taliban has the majority. Democracy is also the rule of the majority, which the taliban has.
And how exactly did the taliban remove the rights of regional ethnic groups and their autonomy?
The taliban are not foolish to create conditions which will be used by people like dostum and amrullah to setup another foreign invasion
IEA issued orders to take permission and approval for holding rallies, which means that the taliban gave them permission for rallies and is even tolerating dissent. How are they allowed to hold rallies if they are under the danger of being ethnically cleansed and their rights removed.
On the ground reliable source?
And how come the taliban is afraid of the locals when it can engaging in ethnic cleansing?
Ottoman sultan also demanded it, so did qatar, they even got unhappy. Taliban is banned in russia, so why is russia even dealing with a movement that it has classified as a terrorist organization.
A double gravestone doesn’t look good.
The refugee crisis is a result of invasions by europe in muslim lands. A permanent solution is to stop invading muslim lands.
True leaders do not run away to other countries while facing crisis.
Proof?
Afghanistan is not middle east, north africa or the new world territories. Perhaps the europeans should read the history of their endeavors in afghanistan again.
“China, which simultaneously persecutes its own citizens, the Islamist Uyghurs /…/ is not afraid of the Taliban. China’s tough laws allow Beijing to believe that the People’s Army and Security Services will easily eliminate any threat of terrorism.”
Let’s set a few things straight here.
Chinese “persecution” is in the eyes of the beholder. What the Chinese did in Xinjiang was checkmating the Empire by a thorough modernization effort to the benefit of the province in its entirety. This way, the rabble-rousers lost what little “oxygen” they had. And, if anything, China’s Army along with her Security Services have a most solid, proven track record of being up to the task of eliminating any threat of terrorism/subversion. It’s a “CV” which will certainly prove most effective in Afghanistan too. Ahmad Massoud and the indestructible BHL are about as menacing to Afghanistan as the BHL + Tikhanovskaya combo was to Belarus given the latter country’s competent and committed national leadership in alliance with reliable international partners. With Chinese assistance, Afghanistan will become a moderately prosperous society along the lines of neighbouring Xinjiang (China) and Chechnya (Russia), and similarly protected by a modern Army, Security Services. and police.
A built-in characteristic strongly pertaining to imperialist setbacks and defeats is how they bring out the genuine bitterness and prejudice of imperialism’s supporters. In Afghanistan, NATO caved in after 20 long years of brutal murder and destruction as the geopolitical pull of the Axis of Resistance became too much. Losing Afghanistan’s all but untapped mineral wealth stands out as a major disaster which totally dwarfs trivial issues such as lost arms, depots, and a fistful of collaborators. And, needless to say, losing the opium based revenue hurts significantly as well.
I do not think Taliban of today is the ‘wild’ Taliban of 20 years ago. I think It is an imperative for bordering nations to engage in a direct dialogue with the TALIBAN and to listen their views very closely. In this way, through persistent dialogue, suggestions, communication, and sincerity, the influence of powerful SCO nations like CHINA, IRAN and Russia can seep in and gradually stabilize the situation in the direction of peace. At the end of the day, TALIBAN will be judged by rigid Islamic principles by which they must guided – the important one of which is improving the general welfare and happiness of the people.