Sleeping with the Enemy

 - Anil Narendra

Political equations are fast changing in Afghanistan. Now, US has started taking steps for its withdrawal from Afghanistan. There have been two recent reports, which reveal the game being played there. According to the first report, all the 15 members of United Nations Security Council including India have approved sanctions, according to which Taliban and al-Qaeda will be viewed differently. The objective of this decision is said to be inclusion of Taliban in Afghan peace process. The Security Council passed two resolutions unanimously last Friday in this regard. These resolutions talk of sanctions for Taliban, different from those for al-Qaeda. In view of this decision, Taliban and al-Qaeda will now be judged on different scales. In another incident, the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai has told that US is holding talks with Taliban. This is, perhaps the first official confirmation about the talks. Addressing a Conference in Kabul, Karzai said that talks with Taliban have started and progressing well. Foreign forces, especially US itself is engaged in these talks. The US-led war in Afghanistan has entered 10^th year and demand for political solution of this conflict is gaining momentum.

This revelation by Afghan President, Hamid Karzai has not only dangerous implications for Afghanistan, but is another proof of US’s vested interests and duplicity. Why did US, in the first place, start war against Afghanistan? As far as we understand, the objective of this war was to teach a lesson to al-Qaeda and Taliban, who were responsible for 9/11 attacks on US soil. During these years, the US deposed the Taliban government, but strangely, now these very Taliban have become good Taliban and preparations are afoot to hand over power to them once again. We can very well understand the helplessness of President Barak Obama and the US. They have already announced complete withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan by 2014 and expressed their eagerness to find an immediate solution to this problem. It is under these circumstances that talks are being held with Taliban, which, however, are in the initial stages at present. As such, the United Nations, considered to be an orgnisation obedient to US, while breaking with the old order, has given the message that if Taliban breaks up with al-Qaeda and contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, then it can be granted amnesty.

We are a bit surprised as to what led India to ratify the UNSC resolution? Does India, too thinks that Taliban have become a noble organization and they do not pose any threat to India? The question is not what Taliban are, but question is that we are talking of negotiations with a terrorist organization that has made public its agenda. What is more disturbing that these negotiations are being held on meaningless terms. The fact is that by starting negotiations with a terror organization, US has once again proved that all of its decisions are based on its vested interests and it does not care about the impact of its actions on countries like India-Pakistan-Iran? Nor it is concerned about the impact on global terrorism. Ironically, the Afghan government has not been made a party to these talks. The Afghans themselves believe that this will be a very damaging step and their country will once again return to pre-2001conditions. If it happens, India will have to bear the brunt of it. It will be a heavy blow for the reconstruction projects in Afghanistan being undertaken by India. This will also adversely affect the image, efficacy and future of Karzai government, but why should America bother about all this? What a great irony, the US which invaded Afghanistan with its slogan of ‘war on terror’ to wipe out al-Qaeda and Taliban, is now considering to hand over Afghanistan to the same terrorists, so that it can easily find a safe passage out of Afghanistan?