The Western withdrawal from Afghanistan has gone hand in hand with a narrative of defeat, repeated so often it’s in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Formally and openly engaging the Taliban is a high-cost strategy. But India has long supported dissidents and insurgents to stand for elections within its own boundaries.
Should the Biden administration go ahead with Trump’s plan to withdraw troops and risk plunging Afghanistan into further chaos and bloodbath like the Obama administration did?
Ahmad Shah Massoud, the lion of Panjshir and arguably Afghanistan’s most well-known mujahideen fighter, had attempted to prevent civil war in 1995 but was killed by the Al Qaeda 6 years later.
An article in Jaish-e-Mohammed journal ‘Medina Medina’ gives a sense of how the organisation is trying to survive. But its two crucial takeaways are in Indian context.
US-Taliban peace deal signed last Saturday stipulated withdrawal of foreign troops, and a guarantee that Afghanistan would not be a safe haven for terrorists.
If you strip the hysteric details away, the debate on coronavirus comes down to numbers and whether you're a 'growther' or a 'base-rater' in how you respond to the pandemic.
Afghan deal menu was made by Pakistan, cooked by US, paid by Doha. Taliban gets the starter, Pakistan & Trump campaign gets main dish, Afghan govt, the dessert.
Plotting and planning against India is not all I do. I also have to run the country, drain water from housing societies, and even give directions to the Pakistan PM.
From Munir’s point of view, a few bumps here and there is par for the course. He isn’t going to drive his dumper truck to its doom. He wants to use it as a weapon.
COMMENTS