Why didn't the leader of the National Resistance Front go to the US?
Author: Ahmad Saidi, Afghanistan and regional analyst (Germany), especially for "Sangar"
In this article, I want to answer two key questions:
1 - Although Michael McCall, Chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Relations, invited Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front, to go to the United States, why didn't Mr. Massoud personally go to the US, but decide to send a delegation?
2 - Is the US a friend of the Taliban or their enemy? And does the US support the anti-Taliban forces?
I intend to answer these two key questions responsibly.
a) I believe that Ahmad Massoud's decision to refuse to go to the US is wise and thoughtful. He knows very well that Michael McCall, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations, is not the president and has no authority to make decisions.
On the other hand, Mr. Ahmad Massoud is right that the US presidential elections are still ahead and that the main decision-maker in the fate of global politics, including Afghanistan and the region, will be the next US president, not Mr. McCall. In addition, Ahmad Massoud did not want to be called a mercenary of the United States and did not want the Afghan people to say that they do not think nationally and depend on the support of the United States, he is the same mercenary as some other leaders.
In addition, Mr. Massoud realizes that after the signing of the Doha agreement and the unconditional withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, the vast majority of people are dissatisfied with the US policy and consider the current problems to be the result of their adventurous and reckless policy. Therefore, by sending a delegation in his place, Mr. Massoud not only wants to avoid the indignation of the United States but also does not want to lose the support of countries that are against the United States, such as Iran, Russia, China, and some others that are part of the anti-American alliance. Ahmad Masood's decision is very well thought out and logical, and as a person who knows the ABCs of politics, I evaluate his decision correctly.
b) Now I want to explain honestly whether the US is a friend of the Taliban or against them and whether they support the forces opposing the Taliban or not.
I think the US-Taliban relationship is very complex and cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". The US has demonstrated both opposition and cooperation with the Taliban at different times, and this process continues.
Reasons for the US opposition to the Taliban:
- The September 11, 2001 attacks: one of the main reasons for the US opposition to the Taliban, and the September 11 attacks led to the overthrow of the first Taliban government. The Taliban provided shelter to Al-Qaeda and refused to hand over Osama bin Laden to the US. As a result, the US invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban.
- Human Rights and Women's Rights Abuses: The Taliban has been heavily criticized by the United States and Western countries for widespread human rights abuses, suppression of civil liberties, and particularly severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls.
- Terrorism and Security: The United States views the Taliban as anathema to international security because it supports terrorist groups such as the Pakistani Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS, which threaten U.S. interests.
Here are some reasons why the U.S. engages with the Taliban:
- Peace Talks: Despite initial resistance, the U.S. has moved to negotiate with the Taliban in recent years to end the long war in Afghanistan, appointing Zalmay Khalilzad as its special envoy. The talks led to the 2020 Doha Agreement, which paved the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and provided guarantees from the Taliban to prevent the country from being used by terrorist groups. The Taliban signed the agreement and pledged not to attack U.S. interests anywhere.
- Strategic Interests: The US is trying to engage with the Taliban to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda after their withdrawal. This engagement is a kind of tactical cooperation to avoid further chaos, but the US is also looking for opportune moments.
Conclusion:
I believe that the US is both opposed to the Taliban and forced to engage with them in the current situation. On the one hand, they criticize the Taliban, and on the other, they send them $40 million a week.
The United States is also deeply opposed to the Taliban because of human rights issues and terrorist threats; on the other hand, due to strategic and regional realities, they were forced to cooperate to manage the situation in Afghanistan and withdraw their troops. The US is trying to ensure that if the Taliban does not fall into their arms, they must not fall into the arms of anyone else.
However, they are trying to maintain the current situation, that is, the Taliban should not lean either to the East or the West, but to be in between.
But this situation will not last. After the results of the US elections China's decision to develop the mines and the fate of Afghanistan, I believe that the US policy towards Afghanistan will change again, and new games will begin in Afghanistan.
It is better to wait and see what happens next.
