By Afshain Afzal

After the undemocratic and unethical announcement by the American military and civilian intelligence agencies to accommodate and resettle thousands of Afghans including ethnic Hazara Afghans, personnel of Afghan Intelligence and National Army in the US, the focus of Washington has again been diverted towards Doha. Presently, the US Embassy at Doha is witnessing a lot of high-ranking movement. “US interests in Afghanistan need to be ensured at all costs, especially after US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of the country”, said one of the guest who tried to remain unidentified and had come from Virginia. In an open breach of Afghan sovereignty and national integrity, US authorities announced open airlift of Afghans to foreign soils without any legitimacy like passport/ visa or permission from Afghan authority. As per the original plan some 65,000 handpicked Afghan refugees to settle in the US this year and 95,000 by next year, followed by another 125,000 in 2023. However, as per an estimated record, the number has already exceeded the expected refugees; till 19 October the number crossed 235,800 Afghan refugees in the US.

In another development on 18 October 2021, US Charge de Affairs to Pakistan, Angela Aggeler met Pakistan Chief of the Army Staff at General Headquarters, Rawalpindi to convey message regarding US-Afghanistan strategy and expected cooperation from Pakistan with regard to US operations to control the prevailing situation in Afghanistan. To keep mouths shut Islamabad has been offered a lot of funding to purchase equipment and military courses for all shades of military officers including International Military Education and Training (IMET) programs for young Pakistani Army officers. It is interesting to note that recently same offer was extended to India which refused to airlift material and personnel from and to Kabul Airport due to security concerns; “No chance of Indian aircraft landing or taking off from Kabul”. New Delhi, however, agreed to provide facility to US personnel at Tajikistan as well as base at locations including Mundra and Kandla ports in the Gulf of Kutch in the Arabian Sea.  As per an Indian officer Ashok who indirectly indicated drone and marine movements.  Earlier, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman also visited India (6-7 October) and Pakistan (7-8 October) to finalize strategic repositioning and acquisition of bases.

Although, the complete withdrawal of US combatants was completed in the year 2010 and handful of security personnel and contractors were left in Afghanistan to look after US investment and multinational projects there, but there is reason why Washington is making so much hue and cry. No doubt, the wise decision by former US President Donald Trump to ensure complete US withdrawal by Christmas 2020 was criticized at that time by President Joseph Biden but ironically he followed the same decision rather implemented in true letter and spirit as there was no option to overcome humiliation and agony of defeat. Interestingly, the authorities at Arlington and Langley have levelled all blame on Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and US Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad for the failure of US strategy in Afghanistan.  Accordingly, Zalmay Khalilzad has been replaced by his Deputy Thomas West as new Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation (SRAR).

In fact, the Western negotiators have been bluffing the world that they were carrying out intra-peace talks with Taliban, whereas at the Durham, with the exception of a few, all leaders and their associate were those splinter groups who defected Taliban and joined US and allies in the Western war against the Taliban. It was projected as if on 29 February 2021, an agreement was reached whereas a gesture was also given if Taliban were negotiating the talks but a later the talks were dragged till 15 March 2021 to force the dummy Afghan Taliban (sic) to sign an agreement that they would cut ties with the Taliban and Al-Qaida. Diana Shaw, the State Department's acting Inspector General, has issued notifications to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House and Senate intelligence committees, that her office is collecting pieces of evidence of "several oversight projects" regarding ending diplomatic relations in Afghanistan. Strange but true, the credibility of the office of US President has been seriously damaged as policy and agreements signed by the former President are being rejected by the next.

To destabilize Taliban government, the Doha based Western-patronized former Taliban as well as those loyal to Taliban are being targeted to eliminate Taliban top leadership. The factitious ISIS which is being funded by Washington and New Delhi to achieve the fall of Taliban is active in their missions. If we recall, in August Western agencies planned terrorist attack to build world opinion against the Taliban by blowing 13 US personnel and injuring more than 100 Afghans in a suicide attack outside the Kabul airport during the evacuation. Few days before the incident, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States believes there are still "specific, credible" threats against the airport after the bombing at one of its gates .He said, "We certainly are prepared and would expect future attempts... We're monitoring these threats, very, very specifically, virtually in real-time." Interestingly, on side US claims that Taliban are terrorists but US Commanders assigned Taliban forces positions in most places of Kabul airport, especially the outer gates, when most of the Americans were still at Kabul airport planning withdrawal. Although president Biden ordered the Pentagon to airstrike ISIS-K and the Islamic State affiliate that claimed responsibility one wonders why would it eliminate its own funded aids and terrorists. No one can deny the fact that presently all countries including China, Russia and India have joined hands to defy the 29^th February agreement and isolate Taliban from coming into power.