The peace deal that has been signed between the Taliban’s political delegation based in Doha and the United States envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmai Khalilzad, considers a major step to end the current bloody fighting in Afghanistan. But the prime object of this deal is ostensibly focused to ease the withdrawal of US military form Afghanistan as well as facilitate the intra Afghan dialogue to put an end to the fourteen years full-scale crises in Afghanistan.
But later it was unveiled that this deal has two different annexations which are unreachable except to the American congressman. Mr. Khalilzad himself in an exclusive interview with Tolo News said that the annexations were secret and not reachable to anyone because it could damages the implementation process of the deal.
The peace deal that took almost one and half year time with hectic discussions is considered a hasty deal of the United State with the Taliban that once had been recognized part of the international terrorism.
Khalilzad is hoping that this deal will culminate in ending the long-term war and insuring peace and security in Afghanistan. He furthermore emphasizes that any decision regarding the next political structure of Afghanistan will be taken in the coming internal dialogue by Afghan themselves. He says that the present peace deal is an unprecedented opportunity that if be used properly and consciously would put an end to the current bloody crises in Afghanistan. But the Taliban side considers it the incarnation of identity and pride for themselves as well as joyful victory against the presence of the international community in Afghanistan.
With respect to the content of the deal and its separate annexation, it is difficult to anticipate what will be the practical fallout of it but there are a myriad of things that are causing a surge of anxiety concerning the future of democracy, human rights, women’s position and the nature of power in Afghanistan. President J Donald Trump has demonstrated clearly that the United State is no longer the promoter of democracy in the world. It interoperates that after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, US has no any obligation to saturate or support the newborn democracy in Afghanistan. On the other hand there are visible signs that the United States has implicitly recognized the legitimacy of the Taliban as the future state of Afghanistan. It is no longer of importance for the United States that how Afghanistan runs but of course it is of significant importance that any type of possibilities that threaten the United States security or interest from Afghanistan, must reduce to the zero level. Therefore, if the Taliban guarantee it, there will not be any obligation to refrain the US from recognizing the Taliban as its future partner in Afghanistan. It seems that in the current political game there is no room for moral obligation. Taliban is a multifaceted entity that architected by Islamabad to use it for strategic purpose and by empowering them guarantee its strategic depth in Afghanistan in cause of a full-scale clash with India.
After 9/11 under the pressure of President Bush administration Islamabad inevitably joined international coalition against terrorism but later revitalized and reorganized the Taliban commanders who had been given shelter in Pakistan. Islamabad started a dualistic game with the United States, besides being partner, at the same time remobilized the Taliban insurgents to combat for reestablishment of their craven Emirate. While the CIA station in Islamabad was watching over the process, but Washington turned blind eye to it. It seems that Washington had not full pledge of allegiance to press Islamabad or obliterate the Taliban insurgents in the battle fields.
The insurgents were not undefeatable even not a monolithic group, but a constantly control and monitoring by ISI enabled them to emerge monolithic and spread their influence in the rural areas. By comparison with the NATO and Afghan combatant’s weaponry, the insurgents had nothing unless a religious belief that was instilling constantly by clergymen whom were recruited directly or indirectly by ISI.
At the same time a silent trend of promotion of religious schools based on extremism interpretation of Islam was spreading rapidly over the country which has prepared the most empowerment source for the soft Taliban.
This overarching silent trend spreads in the most of rural areas with the connivance of the Afghan government and its international allies. In a broader picture, if Islamabad recognizes the revitalizer of the Taliban, the Afghan government considers the developer of them because of intentional infringement of the law and deliberately connivance and ignorance in term of how to deal with the Taliban question. It also means that the NATO and the United States have accomplished exceedingly little in term of pre-pledged fighting against the Taliban and taking a proper measure to fight them in the soft front.
Islamabad was succeed to embolden the Taliban in a level to persuade Moscow and Teheran to sympathize with them and support them logistically without any hesitation of its future consequences.
The Taliban are combating for establishment of a pure Islamic State based on their interpretation of Islam which is in contrast to modern human rights principles. But a wide spectrum of Afghans are in favor of democracy, therefore it’s a serious question that how to bridge this ideological rifts while there is no any sign of reconciliation?¬
Afghans are really feed up with the never ending war and calamity, they want nothing more than a modus vivendi sans violence. But it is also crystal clear that the Taliban want total defeat and total surrender of Afghan government which is not seems possible.
In spite of signing peace deal between the Taliban and the United States it seems that the insurgent will not uphold their commitment because they are no longer bound in violence reduction. Surely the continuation of violence could derail the peace process and minimize the possibility of a nationwide reconciliation. Simultaneously the declaration of parallel government by Abdulla Abdullah has plunged the country into further uncertainty something considers detrimental to the survival of Afghanistan. Some silent efforts are going on to descend Afghanistan into a full blown conflict but unfortunately the Afghan anti-Taliban circles are waiting that what would be textured at the end of the day. In a broader prospect it seems that a sustainable peace is still a pipe dream that never materialize until a nationwide consciousness is disappeared. There is no doubt that the United States and international community have made tremendous contribution to change Afghanistan but whereas the nature of this contribution was not based on the socio-political realities of Afghanistan, billions of dollars have squandered without to reduce the congeries of conflict in Afghanistan.
Taliban is adamant in their stand and the mass atrocities that they are committed is no longer pretends crime against humanity. Therefore there is no any optimism that the mentioned deal and contingently peace negotiation lead to sustainable peace until Islamabad doesn’t want change its security strategy. If peace negotiation starts Taliban would emerge with inflexible stand and there will not be any perceptible decline in their violence until they are not pressed in the fight front.
Therefore the recent peace deal between the United States and the Taliban will ease the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan but there are a very little optimism it culminate in sustainable peace in Afghanistan. In broader picture the current mess of Afghanistan is demonstrating socio-political claps that originated partly from the lack of collective consciousness of Afghans as well as partly from the nature of the current political game that are masterminds by great powers.