August 15 will be a memorable day for Americans, just as it will be a memorable day for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Video footage of the US embassy being evacuated by helicopter was seen on all television channels. Many parallel this with the evacuation of the US embassy from Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, on April 29, 1985. The images will be reflected as an example of the decline of US influence worldwide. Many are wondering how the Afghan army left the entire country in the hands of the Taliban without a fight. At the same time, many are discussing the Taliban’s ideology, policies and activities.
Analysts say the defeat of the Afghan army at the hands of the Taliban was almost certain; But no one was sure how fast it could go. According to a report in the New York Times, the Afghan army has a membership of 300,000 on paper, but in reality, high-ranking officials have been overstaffing to increase their income. Afghan soldiers were paid so little that they sold their weapons and equipment to support their families. He used more bullets without any need and sold the shells of the bullets in the market. The Taliban have used Afghan military weapons and equipment against the Afghan army. In this situation, not the weapons of the Afghan army, but their will to fight was more important. At least in the last few days, it is clear that this will was entirely dependent on the US presence on Afghan soil.
US diplomat Zalmai Khalilzad told multiple Afghan television stations that the Taliban were not the previous Taliban; They have changed a lot; They have realized their past mistakes, especially in women’s education, relations with the rest of the world, and in allowing terrorist groups to stay. However, many in the Western world do not agree with Khalilzad. They think that the Taliban are far from implementing the Western ideology. As such, they are still imposing heavy taxes on people in areas under their control; School is closing; The government is not keeping women members in the running; Etc. The West has also accused the Taliban of not including any female members or minority representatives in the Doha talks. In Doha, the West has also been unhappy with the talk of implementing some Sharia law in place of secular law. An article in the Atlantic Council, a US think tank, said the Taliban’s most short-sighted approach was failing to set a specific goal for Afghanistan. They have not been able to show any plan to run the government, provide services, or implement the rule of law. They could not give any specific direction on education, health, country reconstruction, etc.
The Taliban think they are the most different among Muslims around the world; Because they have lost the war to the United States and forced them to negotiate to leave the country. However, the Taliban have shown immaturity in terms of political goals. Zalmei Khalilzad has called for the Taliban to change, as the Taliban have shown a tendency to make concessions through negotiations. After the defeat, the United States had no right to negotiate; Even then, the Taliban have been in talks with the United States. The Taliban have reassured them by negotiating with Russia and China to consolidate their position. These things are completely different from the Taliban of the 1990s. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the current Taliban has changed significantly in terms of media and technology. They are regularly posting pictures and videos of their various activities in the media; Making statements to the media on various issues; The Facebook page is updated from time to time. The Taliban have peacefully taken control of as many cities as they have in recent times across Afghanistan. Even before entering Kabul, they have repeatedly stated that they want to transfer power without bloodshed. Taliban fighters enter the Afghan presidential palace after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. There they completed the handover of the Palace in front of the live television and answered questions from reporters.
The Taliban say they are going to create an Islamic emirate. They have also announced that they will implement some Shariah laws. However, in complying with Afghanistan’s international boundaries, they have based their thinking on the nation-state. In July, Taliban representatives went to Moscow to reassure Russia that the Taliban would adhere to the borders of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan with Afghanistan. In the same month, an Afghan delegation led by Mullah Abdul Gani Baradar visited Beijing to relieve the Chinese. The Chinese have expressed their displeasure over the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Their main concern was regional security. In this context, the visit of the Taliban representatives to Beijing was very important for China. This Mullah Baradar was arrested by the Pakistani government in February 2010 to please the United States. In 2016, Baradar was released from Pakistan to lead talks with the United States in Doha, the capital of Qatar. It is Pakistan that has persuaded the Taliban to negotiate with the losing power, the United States. And through this, the Taliban continue to show their willingness to give up. Britain’s The Guardian newspaper called Baradar the undisputed winner of the 20-year war. But Pakistan’s role here undoubtedly comes to the fore and highlights the dependence of landlocked Afghanistan on Pakistan. Baradar’s role at the negotiating table was very important to the West. Among the things the United States has confirmed through negotiations are persuading the Taliban to make concessions in some cases on the law and refraining from declaring a caliphate in violation of international borders. Despite the defeat, the United States has carried out its intentions with the Taliban to some extent. But that may not be enough to keep the United States in global leadership.
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