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2021-08-31 Afghanistan
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The Taliban have an ‘Emirate,' if they can keep it
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[JPost] - In 1787 the American statesman Benjamin Franklin was leaving the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia when he was asked "what do we have, a republic or a monarchy?" He replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." Having won in Afghanistan, the Taliban now have an Emirate, in their own terminology, but they will have to try to keep it.
In some ways, it is a fitting comparison to look at the US leaving Afghanistan in 2021 and the way the British left their former American colonies after the battle of Yorktown in 1781. The US was not really defeated by the Taliban, but many think that this decision to leave marks a turning point in US post-Cold War hegemony on the world stage. That remains to be seen.
The larger question is what the Taliban victory means for them and for like-minded groups. The Taliban emerged out of the chaos of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. They were, as their name suggests, younger men then. The mujahideen, Afghan fighters infused with religion, had pushed the Soviets out, but the Taliban took many years to come to power.
...The horrors the Taliban inflicted on Afghanistan foreshadowed the sectarian genocidal policies of Al Qaeda and its fellow travelers in Iraq after 2003 and then the ISIS genocide against Yazidis and Shi’ites. It was the Taliban who had persecuted Shi’ites in Afghanistan and, like ISIS, they destroyed the historical fabric of Afghanistan. This attempt to erase archaeological and religious history and minorities had a Nazi-like quality to it.
Today’s Taliban is said to be different.
| No more bacha bazi boys for the local commanders, no more partnership with the opium trafficking gangs, no more confiscating pretty daughters of the locals to marry off to Talib hard boys, no more beating and killing women not fully covered in a burqa? Maybe at the college-educated top, but down in the trenches we are already hearing reports of old behaviours returned with a vengeance. |
That means its "emirate" is one that might flourish if they can get recognition and investment. Unlike the 1990s Taliban, this one has links to China, Russia, Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey. In fact, it appears that some of their special forces had training from some backers. Some of them know how to fly helicopters. They have inherited a small arsenal from the Afghan army and from abandoned US-led Coalition equipment. They have drones, a Blackhawk helicopter and armored vehicles.
...The US has hopes for the Taliban to be able to manage their Emirate responsibly. "The statement is positive. We, our allies, and the international community will hold them to these commitments," US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted on August 28. This week he noted that "the Taliban now face a test. Can they lead their country to a safe and prosperous future where all their citizens, men and women, have the chance to reach their potential? Can Afghanistan present the beauty and power of its diverse cultures, histories and traditions to the world?"
...Meanwhile, the Taliban will want to bring in China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey for investment opportunities. They will want to neutralize any opposition, such as in the Panjshir Valley. They will also want to get the abandoned equipment left behind working so they can secure the country.
These are big tasks. But they may have support from Qatar and others that will come out in the open now. They will have to decide how much they want to let these foreign countries have a say in running things in Kabul. They have an Emirate, if they can keep it. It remains to be seen if they will want to host Hamas and other groups, like HTS from Idlib, and provide guidance on other terror armies that want to transform into states.
There's a story about a cat that decided to become vegetarian. 
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Posted by g(r)omgoru 2021-08-31 06:28||
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Posted by Procopius2k 2021-08-31 09:16||
2021-08-31 09:16||
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Posted by Bubba Lover of the Faeries8843 2021-08-31 12:43||
2021-08-31 12:43||
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