Taliban deal with American government

By AHMAD SEIR, RAHIM FAIEZ, KATHY GANNON and JOSEPH KRAUSS
an hour ago
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks at his first news conference, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. For years, Mujahid had been a shadowy figure issuing statements on behalf of the militants. Mujahid vowed Tuesday that the Taliban would respect women's rights, forgive those who resisted them and ensure a secure Afghanistan as part of a publicity blitz aimed at convincing world powers and a fearful population that they have changed. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban vowed Tuesday to respect women’s rights, forgive those who fought them and ensure Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists as part of a publicity blitz aimed at reassuring world powers and a fearful population.

Following a lightning offensive across Afghanistan that saw many cities fall to the insurgents without a fight, the Taliban have sought to portray themselves as more moderate than when they imposed a strict form of Islamic rule in the late 1990s. But many Afghans remain skeptical — and thousands have raced to the airport, desperate to flee the country.

Older generations remember the Taliban’s previous rule, when they largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, and held public executions. A U.S.-led invasion drove them from power months after the 9/11 attacks, which al-Qaida had orchestrated from Afghanistan while being sheltered by the Taliban.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s longtime spokesman, emerged from the shadows Tuesday in his first-ever public appearance to address those concerns at a news conference.

He promised the Taliban would honor women’s rights within the norms of Islamic law, without elaborating. The Taliban have encouraged women to return to work and have allowed girls to return to school, handing out Islamic headscarves at the door. A female news anchor interviewed a Taliban official Monday in a TV studio.

The treatment of women varies widely across the Muslim world and sometimes even within the same country, with rural areas tending to be far more conservative. Some Muslim countries, including neighboring Pakistan, have had female prime ministers, while ultraconservative Saudi Arabia only recently allowed women to drive.

Mujahid also said the Taliban would not allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for attacking other countries, as it was in the years before 9/11. That assurance was part of a 2020 peace deal reached between the Taliban and the Trump administration that paved the way for the American withdrawal.

The Pentagon said U.S. commanders are communicating with the Taliban as they work to evacuate thousands of people through Kabul’s international airport. It said the Taliban have taken no hostile actions there.

Mujahid reiterated that the Taliban have offered full amnesty to Afghans who worked for the U.S. and the Western-backed government, saying “nobody will go to their doors to ask why they helped.” He said private media should “remain independent” but that journalists “should not work against national values.”

Kabul, the capital, has remained calm as the Taliban patrol its streets. But many remain fearful after prisons and armories emptied out during the insurgents’ sweep across the country.

Kabul residents say groups of armed men have been going door-to-door seeking out individuals who worked with the ousted government and security forces, but it was unclear if the gunmen were Taliban or criminals posing as militants. Mujahid blamed the security breakdown on the former government, saying the Taliban only entered Kabul in order to restore law and order after the police melted away.

A broadcaster in Afghanistan said she was hiding at a relative’s house, too frightened to return home much less go to work. She said she and other women do not believe the Taliban have changed their ways. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared for her safety.

A group of women wearing Islamic headscarves demonstrated briefly in Kabul, holding signs demanding the Taliban not “eliminate women” from public life.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. and other governments will not simply take the Taliban at their word when it comes to women’s rights.

“Like I’ve said all along, this is not about trust. This is about verify,” Sullivan said at a White House briefing. “And we’ll see what the Taliban end up doing in the days and weeks ahead, and when I say we, I mean the entire international community.”

Whatever their true intentions, the Taliban have an interest in projecting moderation to prevent the international community from isolating their government, as it did in the 1990s.

The European Union said it was suspending development assistance to Afghanistan until the political situation is more clear but that it would consider boosting humanitarian aid.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the Taliban must respect U.N. Security Council resolutions and human rights to earn access to some 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in development funds earmarked through 2024.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britain might provide up to 10% more humanitarian aid, but the the Taliban would not get any money previously earmarked for security.

Evacuation flights resumed after being suspended on Monday, when thousands of people rushed the airport. In shocking scenes captured on video, some clung to a plane as it took off and then fell to their deaths. At least seven people died in the airport chaos, U.S. officials said.

On Tuesday, the Taliban entered the civilian half of the airport, firing into the air to drive out around 500 people there, said an Afghan official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief journalists.

The Taliban appeared to be trying to control the crowd rather than prevent people from leaving. A video circulating online showed the Taliban supervising the orderly departure of dozens of foreigners.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul, now operating from the military side of the airport, urged Americans to register online for evacuation but not to come to the airport before being contacted.

The German Foreign Ministry said a first German military transport plane landed in Kabul but took off with only seven people on board due to the chaos. Another left later with 125 people.

U.S. President Joe Biden has defended his decision to end America’s longest war, blaming the rapid Taliban takeover on Afghanistan’s Western-backed government and security forces. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg echoed that assessment, while saying the alliance must investigate the flaws in its efforts to train the Afghan military.

Talks continued Tuesday between the Taliban and several Afghan politicians, including former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who once headed the country’s negotiating council. The Taliban have said they want to form an “inclusive, Islamic government.”

The talks focused on how a Taliban-dominated government would operate given the changes in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, rather than just dividing up ministries, officials with knowledge of the negotiations said on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks.

A top Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrived in Kandahar on Tuesday night from Qatar, potentially signaling a deal is close at hand.

The vice president of the ousted government, meanwhile, tweeted that he was the country’s “legitimate” caretaker president. Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he should be in charge because President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul, Gannon from Guelph, Canada, and Krauss from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar in Istanbul, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Pan Pylas in London, and Aya Batrawy in Dubai contributed to this report.

I hope they change...

Ok Now What Next?

It’s gonna be a long ride. Taliban fear d name

rayvelez:
It’s gonna be a long ride. Taliban fear d name

. Long ride with who... Taliban will never export terrorism to America again.... that's the promise they made with Trump government.

walefresh3:
. Long ride with who... Taliban will never export terrorism to America again.... that's the promise they made with Trump government.

The issue is trust, can u trust a terrorist?
What US did is same as buhari forgiving repented Boko Haram.
But do terrorist really repent?

Let’s see how it goes....

walefresh3:
. Long ride with who... Taliban will never export terrorism to America again.... that's the promise they made with Trump government.

lol we talkin abt radical terrorist let wait and see.

ibuildstuff:

The issue is trust, can u trust a terrorist?
What US did is same as buhari forgiving repented Boko Haram.
But do terrorist really repent?

what buhari is doing is nothing close to what US have done, accepting terrorists whom had destroyed thousands of lives with fanfare is worse than saying "look, we have been here for twenty years trying to keep your county safe and secured, spent billions, deployed thousands soldiers, but at this point we have to move, the safety of your country is now in your hands,take care"

There is a huge difference

Imagine Boko haram taking over Nigeria.
I dey fear o.
1k instagram foreign followers available at a giveaway price.Whatsapp number in my signature!

It's a lengthy write up.

It's one thing to seize a country, it's another kettle of fish to manage it. Experience has shown that after the central system fails, chaos usually follows. I personally feel America has taken the right decision in withdrawing. You cannot fight for a people who are not ready to fight for themselves.

Notwithstanding, I am expecting schisms to begin to surface in that country in the next few years. Firstly, some Talibans would be sympathetic to terrorists, others would go against it. Power tussle will definitely ensue. Some will want moderate Islam to avoid sanctions. Others would want to go back to the 90s. Resistance would surface. Almost all Arab nations will show interest and want a piece of the country for their own use. The schisms among Arab nations and perhaps the ones in Islam (Shiasm and Sunnism) could come out again. Because Iran wants to be a dominant force in the Middle East and will want to have her influence there too. If Afghanistan refuses, she will use her proxy terror force (Hamas) to begin to cause trouble there. The journey is very very far for Afghanistan.

ibuildstuff:

The issue is trust, can u trust a terrorist?
What US did is same as buhari forgiving repented Boko Haram.
But do terrorist really repent?

u are right...Radical islamist is very hard to trust do to their ideological believes....from what ve read so far , U s government will not give the possession of chemical weapons in the hand of Taliban... (2) Afghan / Taliban we not allowing any organization to lunch an attack from there sovereignty or give terrorist save heaven...in their domain

It would seem that the Taliban understand that the withdrawal of the U.S means, we don tire to help una hold chain. Ruin it if you want or find a way to prosper. Either way, we move. They seem not to want to blow the opportunity for legitimization of their government in international circles. Hopefully they can evolve with the times or, go back to their extremist ways and take the country back another 50 years. Their cup of tea. The world will move on to another trending issue in a matter of weeks.

Powersurge:
It's a lengthy write up.

It's one thing to seize a country, it's another kettle of fish to manage it. Experience has shown that after the central system fails, chaos usually follows. I personally feel America has taken the right decision in withdrawing. You cannot fight for a people who are not ready to fight for themselves.

Notwithstanding, I am expecting schisms to begin to surface in that country in the next few years. Firstly, some Talibans would be sympathetic to terrorists, others would go against it. Power tussle will definitely ensue. Some will want moderate Islam to avoid sanctions. Others would want to go back to the 90s. Resistance would surface. Almost all Arab nations will show interest and want a piece of the country for their own use. The schisms among Arab nations and perhaps the ones in Islam (Shiasm and Sunnism) could come out again. Because Iran wants to be a dominant force in the Middle East and will want to have her influence there too. If Afghanistan refuses, she will use her proxy terror force (Hamas) to begin to cause trouble there. The journey is very very far for Afghanistan.

The Talibans are a offshoot of the Mujahideens that fought Soviet Union in the 80’s. They are all radical Sunnis trained by the Saudis at their Madrasa schools. Iran have absolutely no influence on them. In fact, Saudi started supporting them as part of their strategy to counter the spread of radical Shia Islam that was spreading in the region after the Iranian revolution of 1979.

When they won the civil war in 1996 and ruled the country till 2001 when US invaded, the Taliban government was never recognized by Iran. Only Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and UAE recognized them.

Till date, they still enjoy the support of Saudi and Pakistan. When Trump was president, Saudi influenced him to negotiate with the Taliban. Trump lifted sanctions against them and released over 5,000 fighters. He also agreed to withdraw US troops. That negotiation led to what happened over the weekend but Biden is the one getting the blame.

So, Taliban are fully under the influence of Saudi leaders. We hope they won’t go back to the radical and brutal sharia nation that they were before the US invasion of 2001.

Gadafii:
what buhari is doing is nothing close to what US have done, accepting terrorists whom had destroyed thousands of lives with fanfare is worse than saying "look, we have been here for twenty years trying to keep your county safe and secured, spent billions, deployed thousands soldiers, but at this point we have to move, the safety of your country is now in your hands,take care"

There is a huge difference

A good analysis!

We founded and recruited the TALIBAN, ALQAEDA, AND MACBAN IN NIGERIA. by Hilary Clinton.

seunmsg:


The Talibans are a offshoot of the Mujahideens that fought Soviet Union in the 80’s. They are all radical Sunnis trained by the Saudis at their Madrasa schools. Iran have absolutely no influence on them. In fact, Saudi started supporting them as part of their strategy to counter the spread of radical Shia Islam that was spreading in the region after the Iranian revolution of 1979.

When they won the civil war in 1996 and ruled the country till 2001 when US invaded, the Taliban government was never recognized by Iran. Only Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and UAE recognized them.

Till date, they still enjoy the support of Saudi and Pakistan. When Trump was president, Saudi influenced him to negotiate with the Taliban. Trump lifted sanctions against them and released over 5,000 fighters. He also agreed to withdraw US troops. That negotiation led to what happened over the weekend but Biden is the one getting the blame.

So, Taliban are fully under the influence of Saudi leaders. We hope they won’t go back to the radical and brutal sharia nation that they were before the US invasion of 2001.

Very nice. I wasn't aware of their Sunnism.

I was appalled that Trump had ti criticize Biden as well. Though I felt if Trump was there, I don't think the Talibans would invade the country in such swoop. Because they know how unstable Trump could be. But altogether, if they could adjust their slavery system they practiced in the 90s and liberalize their govt, it will be a good thing.

One thing I am sure of is that if terrorists use their platform as a launchpad against US again, the latter will come back.

hmmm

seunmsg:


The Talibans are a offshoot of the Mujahideens that fought Soviet Union in the 80’s. They are all radical Sunnis trained by the Saudis at their Madrasa schools. Iran have absolutely no influence on them. In fact, Saudi started supporting them as part of their strategy to counter the spread of radical Shia Islam that was spreading in the region after the Iranian revolution of 1979.

When they won the civil war in 1996 and ruled the country till 2001 when US invaded, the Taliban government was never recognized by Iran. Only Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and UAE recognized them.

Till date, they still enjoy the support of Saudi and Pakistan. When Trump was president, Saudi influenced him to negotiate with the Taliban. Trump lifted sanctions against them and released over 5,000 fighters. He also agreed to withdraw US troops. That negotiation led to what happened over the weekend but Biden is the one getting the blame.

So, Taliban are fully under the influence of Saudi leaders. We hope they won’t go back to the radical and brutal sharia nation that they were before the US invasion of 2001.

Hmmmmn! Google kare lohun. Oti google e pa! Auditor seun has audited Wikipedia so much. Haha!