NEGOTIATING WITH THE TALIBAN: HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN?

Year 2020, Issue: 1, 19 - 27, 18.05.2020

Qaisar Nasrat

https://doi.org/10.35344/japss.600987

Cited By: 1

Abstract

In
response to the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York, US military launched an
operation on October 7, 2001. Despite the totally removal of the Taliban in
2001, now Afghanistan
is more insecure than ever. According to the Special Inspector General for
Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), Taliban controlling the 43 per cent of
Afghanistan’s districts and threaten 70% of Afghanistan. After President Donald
Trump's will to end the longest war in American history, special representative
Zalmay Khalilzad began to shuttle between the countries that might have an
impact on the Afghan issue. Since September 2018, Khalilzad has held five
rounds of talks with the Taliban.

The most important issues of these negotiations are: The
United States wants to ensure that Afghanistan will not be a shelter for terrorist
organizations, cutting off ties with organizations such as al-Qaeda, Taliban
talks with the Afghan government and a ceasefire. On the other side, the only
condition of the Taliban is that the
clear timetable of foreign forces complete
withdrawal from Afghanistan. Also, Afghan president Gani stressed that they
would void the outcome of the negotiations that excluded the elected
government. The American side gives the
message that the process continues with Gani's knowledge and support.

After U.S. withdraw, the predictions that the Taliban can
return to Kabul are pushing Washington to pursue peace talks and to accept the
Taliban as a political reality is the defeat in any case for the United States. On the other side, Afghans are
concerned that negotiation with the Taliban could destroy the 18-year gains in
democratic and human rights fields.

Within this pessimistic atmosphere, is it posible to negotiate with
fragmented, factionalised and undisciplined groups of Taliban to be
successful?, Is the US-Taliban agreement sufficient for peace?, how will it
affect the future of Afghanistan? and is it beginning of dark times for women
and minorities in the Afghanistan?. This article tries to answer the above
questions.

Keywords

Afghanistan, Afghan government, peace talks, Taliban, USA

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