After the Afghan Armageddon

How the Taliban took over

The writer of Art of War, Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher once said that Know thyself, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories and it is also said that All warfare is based on deception.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s stance has proved correct that there is no military solution of the Afghan Problem. History has announced its decision loud and clear that if a nation does not give up or keeps resisting the oppressor, victory would be her ultimate fate.

But the right thing is that a trick or plan is good when it succeeds and is admired even by the rival. The most interesting thing of the whole episode is that the people who were uneasy, were those who could not understand the true situation of Afghanistan though things were quite clear from last few days.

Even the US media and stakeholders were totally confused and baffled. They could not grasp at the circumstances. The so-called ‘Watchman’ himself fled and found it as its last option to exercise. When the USA fled from Afghanistan, how the so-called puppet, Ashraf Ghani, survive?

Sardar Daud was ousted in 1978. Now, after 40 years, Afghanistan is going to have a strong central government and the way the Taliban have taken over, it can be observed they will have no opposition. It was just falsehood or propaganda that Kabul would have a civil war situation. In reality, there was not a single cracker.

The situation in Afghanistan has only one direction, which is inclined towards the Taliban. It is clear only for those who can see behind the wall. Things are running smoothly in Kabul but only western embassies are creating panic. Indeed, It is an utter loss for them. It is seeming that US and Western forces are acting like the Taliban and trying to give an impression of havoc though Taliban seem at complete ease. But the picture is totally clear for the thinkers and observers.

Most analysts actually predicted wrongly, the blunder being comparing the present Afghanistan and Taliban with the Afghanistan and Taliban of 1996. When the Taliban left Qandahar and went for Kabul, then so-called Mujahideen fought against Gulbadin Hikmatyar and Ahmed Shah Masood and occupied Kabul. Taliban did not get complete control of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 when the USA attacked. They were in a war situation of war as the Northern Alliance of Ahmad Shah Masood just kept on fighting and resisting, as did the Jumbish-i-Milli militia of Abdul Rasheed Dostum.

Now, the way the USA left, at present the Taliban are more confident and relaxed, as they are not on a war footing.Now, their foremost priority is to stay away from anarchy. They avoided bloodshed so that Afghan people do not panic. Taliban spokespersons advised people in Kabul to stay calm and relaxed and said there would be no vandalism. Moreover, they are conveying the message that Taliban entered the Kabul because Afghan Army had fled and there was no one to handle the duties of security.

It is not a thing that happened in weeks but in days that Ashraf Ghani’s Government was just manifested a house of cards and not a real government, it was just supported with American dollars, air force and helicopters and when the USA left, the sand house had to collapse, and it happened so. We got surprised for nothing otherwise, literally, there was no surprise. When the Taliban took over, there would be more chances of stability. If there is stability in Afghanistan that would also be beneficial for Pakistan. A chaotic Afghanistan is a danger for Pakistan.

The thing which is discussed is what will be the future of Al-Qaeda. The Taliban did not oust the most powerful nation of the world after 20 years of war just to repeat the old mistakes like the demolition of the Bamiyan Buddhas. Their attitude shows they have learnt from their mistakes and they mean business. They are no more misogynists or hardliners as the Western media has always portrayed them and the best outcome of the whole process would be an ultimate stability in Afghanistan.

America did not prove loyal towards any of its allies.

The USA entered Afghanistan with 48 allies 20 years back, but proved that puppets does not stand on its own feet. The world could not foresee the situation. The real thing is that the Taliban are a political reality now. All neighbouring countries will have to accept them and this atmosphere has already bee established. Now the only thing the USA is left with is propaganda.

This propaganda would be created with the help of India and that would for sure indicate an increase of terrorism. It will be just a negative propagation. Now, it is a big challenge for the Taliban how they run the government in Afghanistan and how its fruits flow to Afghans and neighbouring countries. What difference they would make, is ultimately more important.

Albeit they would carry the concept of Emirates. It is also true that the present Taliban have much more international exposure than the government of 1996-2001. Because the leadership of the present group of Taliban including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar have been involved in dialogue with the USA, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan, and their political office in Doha has actually given them experience of dealing with others by coming out of their enclosed shell. They have understood that they have to be successful in two things, one being the kind of government they form internally to establish peace in Afghanistan and to accommodate the great ethnic and religious diversity of their land. There was the menace of internal fighting, but it was not on large scale and they have controlled the worsening situation and avoided any severe situation in Kabul

It is also important how the Taliban government fulfils its international responsibilities. If they are met then the international community would certainly accept them. Bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan is important because most of the utilities are provided by Pakistan to Afghanistan. Extremist organisations are needed to be banned by the Taliban. Although Pakistan would not accept the Taliban government immediately, it will ultimately. Moreover, Pakistan would revive bilateral the border relationship. Pakistan is very cautious in taking up an Afghan policy must delay recognition to observe Afghanistan’s internal situation. Humanitarian and trade relations must be restored at once to facilitate transit trade and other activities.

The situation in Afghanistan has only one direction, which is inclined towards the Taliban. It is clear only for those who can see behind the wall. Things are running smoothly in Kabul but only western embassies are creating panic. Indeed, It is an utter loss for them. It is seeming that US and Western forces are acting like the Taliban and trying to give an impression of havoc though Taliban seem at complete ease. But the picture is totally clear for the thinkers and observers only.

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Dr Zeeshan Khan
Dr Zeeshan Khanhttp://www.pakistantodya.om.pk
The writer can be reached @DrZeeshanKhanA1 and [email protected]

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