Sukla Sen: 17 Aug 2012
The US, in October 2001, invaded the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan in its attempt to root out the Al Qaeda and apprehend/eliminate its leader Osama bin Laden - in turn, to eliminate or at least very substantially cut down global "terrorism", directed against the US and its allies. This was in the wake of the traumatic 9/11, which the Qaeda/Laden had masterminded. The Taliban was acting as a perfect host to Al Qaeda and, so, had to be unseated and, if possible, liquidated.
Laden - hiding in a safe haven in neighbouring Pakistan, could be eliminated in a Bond-like operation only in May 2011. Even though the Qaeda regime had been dislodged in December 2011, and the organisations largely dismantled, the Taliban kept on fighting while burrowing itself deep in the interiors.
The earlier spell of Taliban rule - marked by widespread brutal violence, had been just horrific - even more so for the women and the ethnic/sectarian minorities. The Taliban had, however, gained global notoriety via, too spectacular, demolition of the two giant sixth-century "Bamiyan Buddhas". An alternative order, which could take care of itself was to be erected.. But this attempt floundered miserably. So also the attempts to come to a negotiated compromise solution with the Taliban itself.
With the pathetic withdrawal, the US has openly acknowledged the limits of its capabilities to don the self-selected cap of "the leader of the free world". That's also of huge consequence.
Following is a Forwarded whatapps post.. & found in the description of the above youtube by Indian-share-tips.com seems just a cut and paste from some other source as "making the rounds" . caution is advised.. Here is the latest on Afghanistan making the rounds.
1.. On 29 Feb 2020 , Trump administration ( Khalmay Zaidad —- US negotiator) had signed a secret deal with Taliban ( Mulla Abdul Gani Bradar—-likely president of Taliban Govt ). According to agreement it was agreed that :—
——USA would pull out all its troops by 31 May 2021.
—— Taliban would not attack US soldiers till then , which is a reality. Taliban stood by the deal .
2. When JOE BIDEN became president in January 2021 —- he was reminded by Taliban of the deal and told his reps that Taliban would start attacking US bases.
3. Biden administration signed another agreement to say :—
—— Vacate by 11 Sept 2021. In so doing, Ashraf Ghani would be asked to resign and a NATIONAL GOVT with Taliban as main partner would be formed .
——- However , Ashraf Ghani was unwilling to resign . He thought that he can fight the Taliban with his army .
4. At Doha Talks in May / June 2021, Taliban threatened that they would begin their attacks by 01 Sept 2021 , if Ghani did not resign . This USA , changed its deadline of withdrawal to 31 August 2021. But Ashraf Ghani still refused to go . To teach him a lesson USA suddenly and quietly pulled out almost 25 days before fresh dead line, creating a chaos everywhere .
5. Meanwhile Ashraf Ghani negotiators , Abdulla Abdulla and ex President Hamid Karzai switched sides towards Taliban . Army Chief and other Generals were bought over with the tacit knowledge of USA . Afghan forces Collapsed . Ashraf Ghani was denied asylum in USA . He is in UAE .
6. Mulla Abdul Gani bradar is an American sympathiser and he is likely to be new president . He had been in Pakistani Jail from 2010 -2018— was released on US request . He was arrested by Pakistan in 2010 when he tried to negotiate peace with then Afghan President , Hamid Karzai — a member of interim Council of Taliban.
7. Ahmed Masood of Panjshir valley is a favourite of Russia and not an American friend . Amaraulla Saleh was made a compromise Vice President by Ashraf Ghani to keep Panjshir valley war lord amused . USA could not have given weapons to him .. rest of the post was highly speculative.. .
UK’s Chief of Defence won’t call the Taliban the enemy, says they have changed and will be inclusive toward women
Meghan McCain https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x83iphe
A week in interviews on Taliban takeover of Afghanistan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_naZdtqr-s Aug 22, 2021
Biden Defends U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan. By Michael D. Shear and David E. Sanger
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/us/politics/biden-afghanistan.html Aug. 16, 2021
Said Biden “We gave them every tool they could need. We paid their salaries. Provided for the maintenance of their airplanes,” Mr. Biden said. “We gave them every chance to determine their own future. What we could not provide was the will to fight for that future.”
" When I came into office, I inherited a deal that President Trump negotiated with the Taliban. Under his agreement, U.S. forces would be out of Afghanistan by May 1, 2021. The choice I had to make as your president was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to
fighting the Taliban in the middle of the spring fighting season... After 20 years, I’ve learned the hard
way that there was never a good time to withdraw U.S. forces..
Bala - 17/08/2021 This is a politician's self serving double speak! He seeks to blame Trump, saying he was only following Trump's decision as though Trump was Mary, and he the little lamb. He had no problems reversing Trump's orders in his first days in office. And as Vice-President, he was fully complicit in his years in office. There is a furore in the US about Biden's leadership, and the botched up withdrawal, including calls for his resignation.
To my mind, the real winner is the US military industrial complex. And the real loser is the US taxpayer.
In the 20 years, the Afghans have got better infrastructure, medical facilities, and better education (including for women) all paid for by the US and it's Allies. The various demographic indices clearly show that!
The Whole Story - | Taliban Controls Afghanistan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBBNrIF1j80
Afghanistan: President Flees, Kabul Falls To Taliban https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58223231
Kabul Descends Into Chaos https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/kabul-aircraft-wheel-dead-taliban-afghanistan-crisis-1841439-2021-08-16
Afghan Nationals Protest Against Joe Biden Outside White House https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/you-betrayed-us-afghan-nationals-protest-against-biden-outside-white-house-101629093911790.html https://twitter.com/i/status/1427127865624068096 https://twitter.com/i/status/1427127865624068096
Few Countries Offer Temporary Refuge To Afghan Citizens https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/albania-iran-offer-temporary-refuge-as-thousands-of-afghans-flee-taliban-siege-101629049060517.html Albania, Iran offer temporary refuge as thousands of Afghans flee Taliban siege . Canada had announced that it would take in 20,000 vulnerable people, who face direct threat from the Taliban. The US government is in talks with Qatar to draft an agreement to temporarily house thousands of Afghan refugees who worked with the US troops,
Turkey would work with Pakistan to help stabilise the situation in Afghanistan to prevent a new flood of refugees.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said more than 550,000 people in Afghanistan have fled their homes due to the conflict since the beginning of 2021 and about 1,26,000 people have been displaced since July until August 9,
British PM: “No One Wants Afghanistan To Become Breeding Ground For Terror”
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58224383 He called on "like-minded" powers to work together and not recognise any new government without agreement.
Pak PM Imran Khan: Taliban Has Broken “Shackles Of Slavery” https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/taliban-has-broken-shackles-of-slavery-says-pak-pm-imran-khan-2511573 Pak PM Imran Khan "It is harder to throw off the chains of cultural enslavement. What is happening in Afghanistan now, they have broken the shackles of slavery"
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/talib...