“A New Approach to Afghanistan: Unveiling the Shocking Reality of the Taliban’s Rule!”
It’s Time to Confront Afghanistan’s Taliban, Not Sugarcoat It | Analysis
Two years have passed since the Western withdrawal and the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan. It’s crucial to evaluate the development of Western policies, and their impact, and consider a new approach. One clear conclusion arises those advocating for positive engagement with the Taliban risk abandoning Afghanistan’s people. As the Taliban’s return took place, the West adopted a “carrot and stick” strategy, centered on “engagement.” Humanitarian aid serves as the carrot, while diplomatic pressure and sanctions represent the stick.
Humanitarian aid has been a lifeline for Afghanistan. Data from 2022 reveals that Western donor nations provided approximately $3.7 billion, with the United States contributing a third of that amount. This sum nearly matches the annual support to the former Western-backed government.
However, this approach has inadvertently strengthened the Taliban’s grip, hindering any chances of a more moderate “Taliban 2.0.” The strategy has instead empowered the Taliban’s consolidation of power, perpetuating oppression.
To assess the impact of Western strategy, it’s essential to recall the key objectives of the Doha Accord, signed between the U.S. and the Taliban in 2020.
The first objective was to ensure baseline human rights, including women’s rights. Yet, disturbing cases of arbitrary killings, public executions, and gender-based oppression have emerged. Women are denied education beyond sixth grade, the right to work, and the ability to protest peacefully. This stark gender discrimination constitutes a grave violation of human rights.
Secondly, the Taliban was to sever ties with global and regional terror groups and counter narcotics. However, recent UN reports indicate the Taliban’s support and links to terror groups remain robust. While attempting to curb opium cultivation, the Taliban has not eradicated the opium trade, which remains a significant revenue source. Reports of a surge in meth production further complicate matters.
Lastly, the Doha Accord aimed to establish an inclusive political system. Regrettably, the Taliban’s political approach has been exclusionary and oppressive. Disregarding Afghanistan’s pluralism, the Taliban’s Pashtun-centric rule undercuts diversity and inclusivity.
The country now grapples with a severe humanitarian crisis. UN Secretary General António Guterres highlights that 97 percent of Afghans live in poverty, with 28 million requiring urgent humanitarian aid. Alarming evidence suggests that the Taliban misappropriates aid for its own purposes.
Despite well-meaning calls for dialogue with the Taliban, evidence suggests such engagement may yield limited results. Advocating for formal recognition of the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government as leverage is misguided.
The West must empower Afghanistan’s democratic forces—women protesters, marginalized media, NGOs, academia, and more—united by values of equality, justice, and democracy. Engaging with armed resistance groups opposing the Taliban is also essential. Supporting political figures like the National Resistance Front and establishing dialogues with religious scholars opposed to the Taliban’s distortion of Islam are constructive measures.
By using a fraction of frozen funds, the West can fuel civil society and facilitate these dialogues. These efforts should culminate in national and regional dialogues on an alternative to the Taliban, backed by the international community.
Though progress may be slow, empowering Afghanistan’s people is the path forward. Relying on the Taliban’s transformation is a recipe for failure.
Zalmai Nishat is the program lead for Central and South Asia at the Tony Blair Institute.
Daniel Sleat holds the position of a senior policy advisor, specializing in Europe and Global Trends, at the Tony Blair Institute.
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