Michael Hughes: When the Taliban first seized power in the 1990s they introduced a twisted Deobandi Sunni-based ideology, with a twist of Wahhabism, completely alien to Afghanistan and anathema to the country’s tradition and culture. As they now re-impose this barbaric creed some commentators are suggesting the doctrine is mixed with elements derived from the
Arthur Herman via The Hill: For more than three decades, our supposed ally in South Asia has systematically lied to and manipulated successive presidential administrations – Republican and Democratic – in ways that have made the U.S. and the world less safe. Islamabad has been the recipient of more than $33 billion in American assistance
Mohsin Dawar via The Diplomat: Pakistan has played an active role in creating, facilitating and supporting the Taliban over the decades, a fact that the state has stopped denying. But it has done so at the very heavy cost of the lives of thousands of Pakistanis and hundreds of thousands of Afghans. Pakistan continues to
Bernard-Henry Levi via The Globe and Mail: I maintain that the nobility, beauty and greatness of humanity belong, in this case, not to the conquerors but to the conquered. Not to the barbarians, but to Ahmad Massoud, whom I did not hesitate to praise last year in the presence of his commanders, saying that a
Bloomberg: The U.S. has abandoned Kabul, but America’s former client in Islamabad still holds leverage over the superpower it helped defeat. For much of the war on terror that began after 9/11, Pakistan played a double game. Click here to read more (external link).
Afrasiab Khattak via Prothomalo: Pakistani focus on Pashtun Taliban is to weaken Pashtun nationalism on both sides of the Durand Line. That’s what motivates the predominantly Punjabi generals of Pakistan army in supporting Talibanization of Pashtuns. But the exclusion of other important ethnic groups will deepen the ethnic fault lines in Afghanistan leading to serious
Michael Hughes: The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has certainly bolstered Islamabad’s position vis-à-vis its rivalry with New Delhi, yet troubling signs are already emerging that Frankenstein monsters could end up uniting against the Pakistani state. According to a post in the Indian Defense Research Wing, New Delhi is certainly concerned that Pakistan will attempt to leverage
Politico:‘Graveyard of Empires’ is an old epitaph that doesn’t reflect historical reality — or the real victims of foreign invasions over the centuries – Afghanistan, in its long existence, has sadly been more like the roadkill of empires — a victim to their ambitions. Click here to read more (external link).
NYT: For months, on social media, the Taliban have sought to project an image of strength and moderation, an aura of inevitability within Afghanistan and an air of legitimacy to the outside world. Through text messages and encrypted apps, they have targeted government soldiers directly, depicting them as mercenaries and urging them to surrender or
Ahmad Massoud via The Washington Post: I write from the Panjshir Valley today, ready to follow in my father’s footsteps, with mujahideen fighters who are prepared to once again take on the Taliban. We have stores of ammunition and arms that we have patiently collected since my father’s time, because we knew this day might