Thread: Potential Efforts to Reboot Afghanistan

Translation: A couple of dictators had a social.

Did they exchange research and plans of the newest torture methods and how to best poison 'dissidents'?

Originally Posted by panama hat

Did they exchange research and plans of the newest torture methods and how to best poison 'dissidents'?

Perhaps the appropriate concrete mix for concentration camp walls?

Nice . . . of course . . . concrete. Sometimes the old ways are the best.

Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-36

November 27, 2021 by M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

Posted on November 27, 2021 by M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-36

Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi (L) met Qatari officials before talks with US/EU representatives, Doha, Nov. 27, 2021

36. One Hundred Days of Solitude

"As the Taliban completes its first hundred days in power, the Western powers are groping for a face-saving formula to engage with the authorities in Kabul with some modicum of dignity.

The European Union is taking the lead role here. The European countries have a sense of urgency over potential refugee flow from Afghanistan. The EU intends to launch an “inclusive regional dialogue platform, initially with Afghanistan’s six immediate neighbours” (China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.)
Speaking during the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that the EU must support the people of Afghanistan “to prevent imminent economic and social collapse that the country faces.”

Last month, the EU had announced a humanitarian package worth 1 billion Euro for the Afghan people and neighbouring countries, including 300 million Euro in humanitarian aid. The EU is expected to shortly reopen its embassy in Kabul but insists that it is not recognising the Taliban Govt.

There has been a flurry of activity lately with officials from Brussels flying in and out of Central Asian capitals, especially Tashkent and Dushanbe. The EU hopes to open a ‘humanitarian corridor’ to Afghanistan. The recent EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting in Dushanbe has been an effort in that direction. The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell who lead the delegation to the Dushanbe meeting later wrote:

“Central Asia may not be at the top of the news for most EU media but it is an important region, sandwiched between major powers, next door to Afghanistan and connecting East and West through trade, investment and other links. As EU, we have clear interests at stake – and so do the Central Asians.”
Borrell probably got carried away by his first exposure to the Central Asian region when he wrote, “The region appreciates having an ‘EU-option’, alongside their relationships with their immediate neighbours. They see the EU as a factor of balance and predictability in a volatile international landscape mired in great power politics.”

To be sure, there is a sudden spike in attention in Brussels. “Where politicians go is a sign of their political priorities, so this uptake in travel, in both directions, is a sign that things are moving in EU-Central Asian relations,” as Borrell puts it.

How far this hype translates into concrete actions remains to be seen. Russia is the main provider of security for Central Asian region and Moscow has a troubled relationship with the EU and Borrell in particular. Unsurprisingly, Borrell projected the EU’s focusing on Central Asian region in benign terms, saying, “The EU wants to keep the region as an open space for connectivity and cooperation rather than an area of binary strategic choices and rivalry.”

Against this backdrop, the talks in Doha on Saturday between the Taliban and the US / EU officials are expected to be an attempt to kickstart the moribund Doha peace process. The talks will cover political issues, frozen assets, humanitarian aid, education, health, security, reopening of embassies in Kabul, according to the Spokesman of Afghan Foreign Ministry, Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
Without doubt, the Western narrative is changing tack. The BBC News programme The Real Story today featured its latest episode under the title Hunger in Afghanistan: Time to work with the Taliban?

The running theme of the 50-minute programme is that it is irresponsible that a political legitimacy crisis should stand in the way of the international community’s engagement with the Afghan people. Yogita Limaye, BBC News correspondent who covers South Asia, reported from western Afghanistan:
“The desperation and the urgency of the (humanitarian) situation here is hard to put in words. It’s quite clear that there is no more time left to reach the people of Afghanistan. It cannot wait while the world debates whether or not to recognise a Taliban Government.”

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), another participant in The BBC discussion, flagged the imperative need for engaging with the Taliban. His remarks are particularly interesting since the NRC runs one of the biggest western aid programmes in Afghanistan and has on its staff currently over 1000 Afghan nationals deployed in Kabul and the provinces. Egeland forcefully reinforced Limaye’s assessment:
“There’s unanimous disbelief that the Western countries, the Nato countries, left just like that and pulled the rug under the population … There are very many questions like the rights of women to education, but we have negotiated a deal for the rights of all our female staff to work. So, it’s possible to engage with the new government.”

That said, Western engagement with the Taliban remains problematic. To my mind, the Taliban, after mulling over things in solitude through the past 100 days, may now be even less willing to share power in Kabul or to accept any Western pre-conditions. The only way forward is to encourage the Taliban to continue on its current path of moderation.

The Western preconditions are plainly unrealistic. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the MFA spokesperson who took part in the BBC programme was dismissive when asked about the Western conditions:
“We never wanted this situation. All we did was to fight for our freedom, to gain our independence from occupation. And for others to come and dictate our life, to the Afghans — that is not the solution to the problem. The solution to the problem is not pressure tactic to dictate. The solution to the problem is through cooperation, through positive relations and through encouragement to bring about a situation where all of us can work together.”

On the other hand, while the Western capitals feel the pressure to do something quickly that prevents a refugee flow, a system needs to be put in place first whereby they can directly reach out to the Afghan people, sidestepping the Taliban.

Some bizarre ideas are being floated such as creating liquidity in the Afghan economy by disbursing money directly to the people via a central bank in Kabul that will be independent of the Taliban government and audited by the IMF! Taliban will never countenance such a patent Western encroachment on their country’s sovereignty!

Equally, is it realistic to expect that the Taliban will reconstitute the government by easing out the Haqqanis as quid pro quo for lifting of US sanctions? Above all, the precipitous fall in Biden’s rating casts a shadow, as his willingness to fairly and sincerely develop a new relationship with the Taliban is in doubt.

Simply put, Afghanistan will become a political football in the US politics as the mid-term elections approach next year, and Biden’s instinct will be to play it safe. Biden will prioritise counter-terrorism.

Thus it is that, all things considered, the US and its Nato allies have come full circle back to the old pathway that it is only Pakistan who can be depended upon to leverage the Taliban to get them to accede to Western demands.

Accordingly, a high-level Pakistani military delegation was hosted at the Nato Headquarters in Brussels this week. At the same time, on a parallel track, in a stunning volte-face, Washington has also extended an invitation to Pakistan to participate in the virtual Summit of Democracy in Washington on December 9-10. The strategy is to carry both the civilian and military leaderships in Pakistan.

Significantly, the Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated today that the US wants to keep military contacts with Pakistan and the recent visit to NATO Headquarters by the high-level Pakistani military delegation was part of that process. As he put it,

“When it comes to Pakistan, NATO has had regular contacts with Pakistan for many, many years. Of course, not least discussing the situation in Afghanistan. We have political contacts, we have regular military contacts and dialogue and I think this is important that this continues, because there are still many challenges in the region, especially related to the future of Afghanistan.”

What a dramatic turnaround! Pakistan is back in the good books of the Americans.

The US/Nato overture to the Pakistani military leadership in Rawalpindi coincides with the resumption of talks in Doha between the US officials and the Taliban.

Washington is seeking a political fix in Kabul with Pakistani help."

https://www.indianpunchline.com/refl...fghanistan-36/

the bacon sarnies

WB backs using frozen funds to aid Afghanistan


By Reuters Published: Dec 02, 2021 06:23 PM

"The World Bank's board has backed transferring $280 million from a frozen trust fund to two aid agencies to help Afghanistan cope with a brewing humanitarian crisis after the US withdrawal, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The 31 donors to the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) must approve the transfer before the funds could flow to the World Food Programme and UNICEF, the sources said.

The World Bank board met informally Tuesday to discuss transferring up to $500 million of the $1.5 billion in the ARTF to humanitarian aid agencies, people familiar with the plan previously told Reuters.

Afghanistan's 39 million people face a catering economy, a winter of food shortages and growing poverty three months after the Taliban seized power as the last US troops withdrew from 20 years of war.

Afghan experts have said the aid would help, but big questions remain, including how to get funds into Afghanistan without exposing any financial institutions involved to US sanctions.

While the US Treasury has provided "comfort letters" assuring banks that they can process humanitarian transactions, concern about US sanctions continues to prevent passage of even basic supplies, including food and medicine.

Any decision to redirect ARTF money requires the approval of all its donors, of which the US has been the largest.

The White House and the Treasury had no immediate comment on the World Bank board's endorsement of transferring the funds to the World Food Programme and UNICEF."

WB backs using frozen funds to aid Afghanistan - Global Times

It's very simple. Provide all the food aid they need on condition that it is distributed by the UNWFP.

This will stop the talitubbies stealing it or trying to make a profit off it.

I'd go along with that, although whether it's the UN or WB in charge of the funds doesn't really matter to me.

Originally Posted by sabang

I'd go along with that, although whether it's the UN or WB in charge of the funds doesn't really matter to me.

Don't give a shit about the money, don't give them any, they'll nick it.

The AP Interview: Taliban seek ties with US, other ex-foes



Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers are committed in principle to education and jobs for girls and women, a marked departure from their previous time in power, and seek the world’s “mercy and compassion” to help millions of Afghans in desperate need, a top Taliban leader said in a rare interview.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also told The Associated Press that the Taliban government wants good relations with all countries and has no issue with the United States. He urged Washington and other nations to release upward of $10 billion in funds that were frozen when the Taliban took power Aug. 15, following a rapid military sweep across Afghanistan and the sudden, secret flight of U.S.-backed President Ashraf Ghani.

“Sanctions against Afghanistan would ... not have any benefit,” Muttaqi said Sunday, speaking in his native Pashto during the interview in the sprawling pale brick Foreign Ministry building in the heart of the Afghan capital of Kabul

“Making Afghanistan unstable or having a weak Afghan government is not in the interest of anyone," said Muttaqi, whose aides include employees of the previous government as well as those recruited from the ranks of the Taliban.

Muttaqi acknowledged the world's outrage at the Taliban-imposed limitations on girls' education and on women in the work force. In many parts of Afghanistan, female high school students between the grades of seven and 12 have not been permitted to go to school since the Taliban took over, and many female civil servants have been told to stay home. Taliban officials have said they need time to create gender-segregated arrangements in schools and work places that meet their severe interpretation of Islam.

When they first ruled from 1996-2001, the Taliban shocked the world by barring girls and women from schools and jobs, banning most entertainment and sports and occasionally carrying out executions in front of large crowds in sports stadiums.

But Muttaqi said the Taliban have changed since they last ruled.

“We have have made progress in administration and in politics ... in interaction with the nation and the world. With each passing day we will gain more experience and make more progress,” he said.

Muttaqi said that under the new Taliban government, girls are going to school through to Grade 12 in 10 of the country's 34 provinces, private schools and universities are operating unhindered and 100% of women who had previously worked in the health sector are back on the job. “This shows that we are committed in principle to women participation," he said.

He claimed that the Taliban have not targeted their opponents, instead having announced a general amnesty and providing some protection. Leaders of the previous government live without threat in Kabul, he said, though the majority have fled.

The AP Interview: Taliban seek ties with US, other ex-foes (msn.com)

Originally Posted by sabang

committed in principle

Not from Missouri but "show me" and ya might get the bucks.

Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-37

Posted on December 18, 2021 by M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

37. When are the Indians returning?

"A big international spectacle is slated to be staged in Islamabad tomorrow regarding Afghanistan with the attendance of foreign ministers from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). The participants also include special invitees from the United Nations system, international financial institutions and some select non-member states, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, Russia as well as the EU. Unsurprisingly, India stands excluded.

Significantly, the Taliban government will be represented at the event. A major Pakistani objective is to help the Taliban expand its networking with the international community.
This may not translate as diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government anytime soon but that is becoming a moot point of little practical value.

Arguably, Afghanistan still retains the core elements of statehood, as stated in the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, and, “if one of the constituent parts is lacking, the state does not dissolve; rather, it remains” — as a Pakistani analyst ingeniously pointed out recently — which, in turn, necessitates “state recognition”, a political act, intrinsically.

The paradox is, state recognition is a judgemental act rather than a legal act — and, in any case, the international system does not provide for any collective body with the authority to recognise states.
Simply put, some states may recognise the Taliban government and some others may not, while state recognition — positioning Afghanistan as a legal entity — becomes possible. In fact, this is already much in evidence on the part of the UN agencies, IMF, World Bank, etc. and several countries too, especially the regional countries including India.

Diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government may take time, in the meanwhile, Pakistan is helping the Taliban to take a de tour so that it is equipped to conduct the business of governance. Trust Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to make the most out of such a large gathering of the international community tomorrow.
Inevitably, such networking will translate as increased aid for Afghanistan. In particular, the rich petrodollar states of the Muslim world have a religious affinity with the Afghan people. Muttaqi is sure to chip away at their charter of demands — “inclusive government”, girl’s education, etc.
In fact, there is grudging acceptance that the Taliban regime of the 1990s and today’s Islamic Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have little in common. Muttaqi’s exclusive interview this week with the Associated Press underscored this.

Muttaqi expressed the confidence that America will slowly, slowly change its policy toward Afghanistan” as it sees that a Taliban-ruled country standing on its own is a benefit to the US. He then added,
“My last point is to America, to the American nation: You are a great and big nation, and you must have enough patience and have a big heart to dare to make policies on Afghanistan based on international rules and relegation, and to end the differences and make the distance between us shorter and choose good relations with Afghanistan.”

The perception that the Taliban seized power in Kabul is becoming increasingly untenable. The former president Hamid Karzai has done a great favour to corroborate the estimation by top US officials — especially, former special representative Zalmay Khalilzad — that an orderly transition to an inclusive government was very much in the cards but Ashraf Ghani and his clique backed off at the penultimate house and fled Afghanistan.

The sophistry over the “legitimacy aspect” of the Taliban interim government gets blown to smithereens by Karzai’s startling disclosure while talking to the AP’s veteran Afghan hand Kathy Gannon in an exclusive interview three days ago that he personally stepped in to invite the Taliban to enter Kabul after the cowardly exit of the Ghani regime with a view to prevent anarchy.
In the downstream of the OIC conference in Islamabad, many countries will decide to reopen their embassies in Kabul. India should be one of them. Unlike in the 1990s, the Taliban has no need to look over their shoulder for interacting with India. Taliban has reached out to India and explicitly conveyed its interest in having a dialogue.

The Taliban’s reaction to the Delhi Declaration on Afghanistan following the Regional Security Dialogue chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on November 10 came in real time. The Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the Indian media that he saw the dialogue of the national security advisors as a positive development and hoped that it “contributes to the peace and stability” of Afghanistan.

In Shaheen’s words, “If they (NSAs) have said that they will work for the people of Afghanistan for the reconstruction, peace and stability of the country…that is our objective. The people of Afghanistan want peace and stability because they have suffered a lot in the last few years. Right now, we want the economic projects in the country to complete and new projects to start. We also want job opportunities for our people. So we agree with what has been said.”

“Any move that contributes to the peace and stability of the country, provides job opportunities to the people and helps eradicate poverty in the country – at a time when 80 per cent people here are currently living below the poverty line – we support it,” he added.
When his attention was drawn to the Delhi Declaration’s call that Afghan territory should not be used for “sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts,” Shaheen reacted,

“Yes, that is our commitment. We agreed in the Doha Agreement that we will not allow any individual, entity or group to use the soil of Afghanistan against another country. The Americans agreed to withdraw their troops. This is all a part of our agreement. Yesterday I had a meeting with our interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and he reaffirmed that the commitment during the meeting. All of our senior leadership abides by that commitment.”

As for Pakistan’s boycott of Doval’s invitation, Shaheen said, “It is up to that country to decide its position. You can ask them. As far as the people and the government of Afghanistan is concerned, we want peace and stability and resumption of economic activities.”

The Taliban no longer take the diktat of outsiders. Of course, this in now way detracts from the reality Pakistan wields much influence in Kabul today. But it signals that the old notions regarding the Taliban are no longer valid. The pendulum is swinging intriguingly. And its directions are best observed from the Indian compound in Kabul. The embassy must reopen soon."

https://www.indianpunchline.com/refl...fghanistan-37/

At OIC, Pakistan warns of 'grave consequences' from Afghan economic crisis

In the biggest conference on Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, Pakistan warned of "grave consequences" for the international community if the situation remains the same in Afghanistan. At the opening of a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan urged world leaders to find ways to help prevent a humanitarian crisis in the nation.


The crisis escalated ever since the Taliban took control in August. As an immediate response, major donors halted their support for the country by freezing funds.


Afghanistan also faced challenges of drought caused by global warming.


Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the IOC meeting, "We cannot ignore the danger of complete economic meltdown."

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan urged international community to offer help as he said that if the world does not act on Afghanistan, this will turn out to be the biggest man-made crisis. He further said that the United States must delink the Taliban government from 40 million Afghan citizens.


The idea behind the meet is to organise economic assistance for Afghanistan. The nation had already been facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation worsened since the Taliban seized power.


The IMF had said that its engagement with Afghanistan will remain suspended until there is clarity on the recognition of the government led by the Taliban.


At OIC, Pakistan warns of 'grave consequences' from Afghan economic crisis, South Asia News | wionews.com

I know you don't have an original thought in your body but would not post the same banal shit propaganda on multiple threads. There is your very own drivel thread for this rubbish.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

not post the same banal shit propaganda on multiple threads.

He is sent ten links a day from his masters and needs to spread them.

Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2615 (2021), Enabling Provision of Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan as Country Faces Economic Crisis

United States Representative, Introducing Text, Says It Exempts Activities to Meet Basic Needs from Taliban-Related Sanctions

22 December 2021

"The Security Council today adopted a resolution providing for a humanitarian exemption to the sanctions regime established by resolution 1988 (2011), enabling the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as the country verges on economic collapse.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2615 (2021), under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the 15-member Council decided that humanitarian assistance along with other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan are not a violation of a provision in resolution 2255 (2015) concerning individuals and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan.

Additionally, the Council decided that the processing and payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources, and the provision of goods and services necessary to ensure the timely delivery of such assistance or to support such activities are permitted. It also strongly encouraged providers relying on the resolution to use reasonable efforts to minimize the accrual of any benefits — whether as a result of direct provision or diversion — to entities or individuals designated on the sanctions list established by resolution 1988 (2011)."

Continues at:

Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2615 (2021), Enabling Provision of Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan as Country Faces Economic Crisis | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

Afghanistan thanks China for upholding fairness and justice, offering aid: acting deputy PM of Afghan Taliban's interim govt


By Global Times Published: Dec 31, 2021 11:40 AM

"Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu on Thursday met with a senior Taliban leader to stress that China is willing to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and help it realize economic reconstruction and independent development. Wang also urged the US and other West countries to lift sanctions placed on Afghanistan.

In a meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy prime minister of Afghan Taliban's interim government, Wang said that China has never interferes in Afghanistan's internal affairs to seek selfish gains. Instead, China firmly pursues a friendly policy for all Afghan people and supports Afghanistan's efforts for stability and reconstruction.

Baradar said he has visited China many times and met with Chinese leaders as well. He said Afghanistan sincerely thanks China for upholding fairness and justice and providing a large amount of aid materials needed by the Afghan people to help them tide over the current difficulties.

Afghanistan is committed to promoting friendly bilateral relations, advancing cooperation in various fields and jointly safeguarding security and stability of the two countries and the region, Baradar said.

In October 2021, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Baradar in Doha, Qatar, and noted China always respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and supports the Afghan people to independently decide their country's destiny and choose their own development path.

After the meeting, batches of emergency humanitarian supplies from China arrived in Afghanistan, delivering a large amount of much needed food, winter supplies and medical goods to the Afghan people.

The ambassador said that China attaches great importance to the humanitarian difficulties in Afghanistan, urges the US and the West to lift sanctions, and calls on all parties to engage with Afghanistan in a rational and pragmatic way so as to help Afghanistan embark on a sound development path.

China will continue to provide humanitarian material assistance within its capacity and work with the international community to help Afghanistan ease temporary difficulties and realize economic reconstruction and independent development, Wang said.

China always believes that humanitarian assistance should not be subject to any conditions or sanctions under any circumstances. Besides, China calls on the international community to step up assistance to Afghanistan, the ambassador said."

Afghanistan thanks China for upholding fairness and justice, offering aid: acting deputy PM of Afghan Taliban's interim govt - Global Times

Originally Posted by OhOh

Afghanistan thanks China for upholding fairness and justice

Originally Posted by OhOh

In a meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting deputy prime minister of Afghan Taliban's interim government, Wang said that China has never interferes in Afghanistan's internal affairs to seek selfish gains. Instead, China firmly pursues a friendly policy for all Afghan people and supports Afghanistan's efforts for stability and reconstruction.

Baradar said he has visited China many times and met with Chinese leaders as well.

What was he doing when he was not meeting with Chinese leaders?
Well done he.