Friday, October 22, 2021

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the World Community

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the World Community

"The Panjwaii people, they suffered a lot from the war and drought." 
"With the help of Allah, our God, we will provide good security when you bring some aid to the people. And you can return back to your home without any suffering." 
"As you suffered from the Afghanistan war, we suffered too. In the future, do not attack our land, our nation; don't use drones on our land."
"There is no security threat. The only problem we have is that the international community is not recognizing Afghanistan."
Syfe Rahman Syfm new district chief, Panjwaii District Centre

Well, of course the international community recognizes Afghanistan. The Afghanistan that was called the Republic of Afghanistan, when Afghan-style democratic elections took place to elect government officials, despite the corruption rife in every aspect of life in the country; traditional and ongoing. It is the Afghanistan now ruled by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, by the Taliban that fails to receive official international recognition. But the Taliban leadership feels empowered to insist on international support for their Islamist Emirate.

Is a transition period of two months long enough to review the actions of the Taliban to conclude what their rule as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will look like? Resemble their previous time in power when anything remotely resembling freedom for Afghans from the shackles of Islamist sharia was strictly forbidden? When hospitals that treated men could not treat women who had their own assigned hospitals where only females themselves garbed in head-to-toe burqas could examine and treat women and girls? When music and parties were forbidden? 
 
Where girls were not permitted to gain an education? When men whose beards were merely suggestive rated public beatings? When women improperly garbed in public and an inch of bare skin on ankle or a wrist could be seen merited a lashing? When women and girls had to be accompanied outside their homes by male relatives?
 
When so much as a greeting between a woman and man not of the same family was forbidden. When the carnal sin of physical contact between the sexes could rate a prison sentence. When extramarital affairs could guarantee public stoning and death?  When women were expected to remain in their houses, forbidden to work outside the home. Where girls as young as ten were considered old enough to 'marry' Taliban fighters? That Afghanistan.

The Taliban are in power in Kandahar province, where  former Taliban fighters are now in government, are on a mission to restore international help under the new regime.  CBC

In August, the Taliban stormed the countryside, then the cities as the Afghan military and national police scattered before their onslaught. As they neared Kabul, the government suddenly melted away. Knowing they were slated to be hunted down, imprisoned or killed. Government employees in all government departments would be sought out through house-to-house searches and penalties meted out to them. Imprisonment, death. Of course when the Trump administration negotiated with Taliban spokesmen in Doha, Qatar promises were extracted in exchange for a U.S./NATO withdrawal.
 
A withdrawal badly wanted by both sides. The U.S. and other foreign troops to finally wash their hands of a protracted unwinnable war against a pathology of theistic conquest. The Taliban yearning to see the last of U.S. troops so they could get on with their mission unimpeded by the presence of foreign troops whose fixation on human rights was so infuriatingly irritating. August 15 marked the end of the Republic of Afghanistan, and the culmination of American shame. 

Pakistan exulted along with the Taliban, for of course the Taliban is their creature; the bulwark against India's possible presence in Afghanistan. As was Syria in Lebanon, so is Pakistan in Afghanistan. Iran benefits, China benefits, Russia benefits as long as the Taliban, as warned and acquiesced keep their terrorist adversaries and partners within Afghanistan, from Islamic State in Khoristan to al-Qaeda, and the Islamist Uyghurs.

"I am particularly alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being broken", mourned U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Did he really and truly expect otherwise? The 38 million Afghans now living under Taliban rule expected nothing else; certainly the country's women dreaded the transition, swift and brutal and now it is their future. Teen girls who hoped to continue their education now sit at home. Social/cultural/religious hostages. 

As for the promise to the U.S. negotiators, primarily the splendid choice of Zalmay Khalilzad who assured the Biden administration that a swift Taliban takeover of the country in the sudden absence of U.S. troops wouldn't occur: "I don't believe it's a likely scenario", well, surprise, surprise. And nor would the promise by the Taliban to the U.S. that it would form an inclusive government representing the interests of all Afghans by the Pashtun-majority Taliban take place since thousands of Hazara families were driven from Daikundi, Helmand and Kandahar in bloody ethnic-cleansing operations.

Women at the Panjwaii District Centre try to appeal to a Sharia court to solve their problems. The Taliban says it will solve disputes using a strict interpretation of Sharia law. The women don't appear to have secured a hearing. (Ellen Mauro/CBC)

"The international order now, it's just might makes right."
"If you have power nobody is going to stop you from doing anything. If we don't deal with the Taliban, if we sanction them, they don't really care. If we stop their officials from visiting the U.S., be it for education or trade or other opportunities, there is China. There is Russia. They don't care."
"Afghans now are most concerned with just having food on the table and a roof over their heads, with the basic necessities of life."
"That is how things are. Might makes right."
Irfan Yar, managing director, Afghanistan Security Institute, Ottawa, Canada
De facto diplomatic recognition of the Islamic Emirate has been extended by China, Iran and Russia. The Biden administration announced it was prepared to permit American aid agencies and private groups to resume sending food and medicine to Afghanistan. Not providing it directly to the Taliban of course, they reassure themselves; it's meant for the suffering Afghan people. And they are suffering. Mass starvation looms, the UN World Food Program warns. 
 
Figures post that 97 percent of the population is facing poverty. Close to half of the population is reliant on humanitarian aid, according to the UN Development program. And so, the West, through the G20, the United States and the European Union have resigned themselves to engaging with the Taliban albeit planning to withhold diplomatic recognition. That's a neat trick.
 
In meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusogin the Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, a sanctioned UN-designated terrorist -- gained NATO-member Turkey's comradely gesture in urging UN member states to support the Taliban.

The Panjwaii District Centre was opened by Canada in 2009, part of economic development in Panjwaii. Today it's headquarters for the Taliban district office, Sharia court and adjacent to the former military-operations centre for Canada, the U.S. and Afghan forces. (Susan Ormiston/CBC)

 

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posted by Pieface @ Friday, October 22, 2021

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