El Udeid - the most extensive US military base in Qatar, in fact, is their "headquarters" in the Middle East. Why did the son of Mullah Omar, who hated America all his life and died without knowing that he served her all his life, go to Qatar?
Author: Ismail Furughi, analyst (Germany)
Although the main motives for Mulla Yakub's trip to Qatar are not yet sufficiently clarified and disclosed, what can be understood from the events and facts, along with the behind-the-scenes motives and reasons for this trip, can be listed as follows:
- The first motive and reason for this complete ambiguity of the trip may be the economic and financial inability of the Taliban to provide for the minimum needs of the people - especially the needs of the soldiers and fighters of this group. Demanding and begging for bread and water from the local population, which is almost always and often done by Taliban fighters, makes it clear that the Taliban regime is unable to provide even the most basic needs of its soldiers. The Taliban, who intend to build a well-equipped army of up to 200,000, have just realized that building a disciplined and modern army requires huge and sustainable financial resources— worth at least $4 billion per year for an army of 200,000. ..
It is for this reason that Mullah Yaqub, the acting Taliban defense minister, turned to the sheikhs of Qatar, desperately asking them to help the Taliban in paying a month's wages, clothing, food, and medical services to their fighters, as well as help to protect Afghanistan's borders and purchase and supply equipment for the Taliban army (similar to how Ghani's army depended on direct US aid, now the Taliban army will also need Qatar's money).
It is widely believed that Qatar, whose security depends on the US, promised Mullah Yaqub, on US orders and advice, to feed the hungry bellies of the Taliban fighters and prepare clothing and equipment for them. Qatar, which, in competition with the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, gave the Emirates a contract to manage Afghanistan's airports, is pursuing the same selfish and inflammatory goals in Afghanistan as the Emiratis, Turks, Americans, and Pakistanis. Qatar represents America's interests in Afghanistan, it will open the gates of cooperation with the Taliban to the world and help the Taliban in moving the war to the north of Afghanistan.
- The second motivation and purpose of the trip of the son of Mulla Omar - Mullah Yakub to Qatar - is to open a wide road for interaction with the Taliban and, as a result, present the Taliban to the world as a force dominating the security situation in Afghanistan.
After Mullah Muttaki's open and frequent trips to Qatar, the opening of a trip to Qatar by the Taliban's most senior military figure and his secret and public talks with Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, could bring the Taliban out of total political isolation to allow for greater interaction between them and the world. A work that America strongly supports.
On the other hand, the trip of Mulla Yaqub, which took place on the advice and plan of the United States and Qatar, in competition with the Haqqani branch and without consulting Sirajuddin Haqqani, a dangerous opponent of the Kandahar faction, was undoubtedly aimed at weakening Sirajuddin Haqqani. Mullah Yaqub, Mullah Muttaqi, and Mullah Baradar want to attract the attention of international and regional friends and reduce the influence of the Haqqani clan day by day with financial support from Qatar.
However, Qatar - just as it hosted the first office and political base of the Taliban and facilitated the path for a secret agreement between the Taliban and the United States, as a result of which the government capitulated to the Taliban, will now create the ground for global interaction with the Taliban and transferring the war to northern Afghanistan.
