Image Source : AP US-Taliban settlement has no aspect of peace says Haqqani
The settlement between the US and the Taliban has no aspect of peace and is mainly a withdrawal pact for American troops from the war-torn Afghanistan, a former Pakistani diplomat has mentioned.
“As a longtime critic of the US and Taliban agreement, I see it as a withdrawal agreement with no elements of peace. The Taliban were made to commit to only one thing, that they would enter intra-Afghan talks, not that they would agree to peace,” Husain Haqqani, the previous Pakistani Ambassador to the US, mentioned on Friday throughout a digital occasion “The Afghan Peace Process: Progress or Peril?” organised by the Hudson Institute think-tank.
The Trump administration signed the peace cope with Taliban in February final 12 months in Doha. The accord drew up plans for withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in alternate for safety ensures from the rebel group. As a part of the deal, the US dedicated to withdraw its 12,000 troops inside 14 months. There are at present solely 2,500 American troops left within the nation.
The Taliban dedicated to forestall different teams, together with al Qaeda, from utilizing Afghan soil to recruit, practice or fund elevate towards actions that threaten the US or its allies.
Haqqani mentioned the definition of peace for the Taliban may be very completely different from the US.
“Taliban’s definition of peace may be very completely different from that of the US or the Afghan authorities. The Taliban believes that when their Islamic Emirate is restored, peace is restored,” mentioned Haqqani, who at present is Director for South and Central Asia at Hudson Institute.
The Afghan authorities and the folks of the nation would welcome the predictability and self-discipline that may include change of administration within the US, he famous.
“When state actors and non-state actors negotiate, usually there is a ceasefire as part of the deal. That hasn’t been done in Afghanistan? I don’t understand what reduction in violence is, does it mean 2 people instead of 10 being killed or 10 instead of 20?” he requested.
Bill Roggio, a senior fellow and editor of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal, noticed that to grasp what Taliban needs one must learn their statements.
“The only acceptable outcome is the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They have not fought all these years to take a silly ministerial post. What Taliban has been doing in the meantime is hollowing out Afghan civil society. All signs that Taliban is using these talks to run out the clock. It is not going to agree to give up violence,” he mentioned.
“The Taliban promised before 9/11 that they will not host Al Qaeda and they lied. Why should we believe them today?” Roggio requested.
Javid Ahmad, Afghanistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a Senior Fellow (non-resident) on the Atlantic Council, famous that Afghanistan on the finish of the day is sophisticated.
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The US presence has now successfully develop into part of the Afghan energy dynamics. Probably stay so for foreseeable future,” he mentioned.
“There is a need for clarity in purpose, policy, and approach. We need clarity not just on Afghanistan’s future but also America’s future in Afghanistan. Previous administration drew a moral equivalence between Taliban and Afghan government and so outcome was one big mess,” Ahmad mentioned.
Responding to a query, Roggio mentioned that the Taliban survives due to Pakistan.
“The Taliban may be small minority, but you only need a fervent minority. They have control in many rural areas. Taliban are still indoctrinating people,” he mentioned.
According to Ahmad, Pakistan needs to dictate the talks and within the course of bypass the Afghan authorities.
“Pakistan’s main audience has been Washington not Kabul. So difficult to come to terms with them on any bilateral agreement. The terms they are pushing for is a direct say in Afghanistan’s foreign and security policy and so Pakistan has traditionally treated us as a half state,” he mentioned.
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