Afghanistan's Armed Forces: Overcoming Taliban Insurgency

The Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan has raised questions about the ability of the Afghan army to defeat the Taliban. The Taliban's recent attacks on civilians, including a wedding hall bombing in Kabul, have deepened concerns about the future of Afghanistan as the US withdraws its troops. The Afghan army is currently in its worst state in years, with soldiers holed up in fortified bases and outposts, while the Taliban has been making territorial gains. The Taliban's ability to attack bases at will and the Afghan government's failure to protect its citizens have raised doubts about the Afghan army's ability to defeat the Taliban. However, the US-Taliban deal, which includes pledges from the Taliban to prevent attacks from Afghanistan, offers a potential path to peace. While the deal has been criticized as a surrender by the US, it may provide an opportunity for the Afghan army to regroup and counter the Taliban. The success of this deal depends on the Taliban's willingness to cooperate and the ability of the Afghan army to maintain security without US support.

The Taliban's relationship with the US

The relationship between the US and the Taliban has been tumultuous, to say the least.

The Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun, Islamic fundamentalist group, returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, twenty years after being ousted by US troops. The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which were orchestrated by Osama bin Laden, who was residing in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban. The US overthrew the Taliban government and captured Osama bin Laden in neighbouring Pakistan.

The US has had a military presence in Afghanistan since 2001, with the war in Afghanistan being the longest war in US history. The US has also provided billions of dollars in military and economic aid to Afghanistan. The US-led invasion of Afghanistan led to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the reestablishment of its diplomatic relations with the rest of the world.

However, the relationship between the US and the Taliban has been fraught with tension and conflict. The Taliban has imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, cracking down on women's rights and neglecting basic services. The Taliban has also maintained close ties with Al-Qaeda, with analysts concerned that the Taliban could provide Al-Qaeda with a safe haven to launch international terrorist attacks.

The US has attempted to train the Afghan military to fight the Taliban, but this has proven unsuccessful. The Taliban has also refused to break ties with Al-Qaeda, a condition of the US-Taliban agreement in February 2020. Despite ongoing diplomacy, the relationship between the US and the Taliban remains tense, with the US refusing to recognise the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.

The Taliban's relationship with other international terrorist groups

The Taliban has a long history of working with other international terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

The Taliban's relationship with al-Qaeda is well-documented. Osama bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaeda, swore an oath of allegiance to Mullah Omar, the former leader of the Taliban. In return, the Taliban provided al-Qaeda with a base in Afghanistan, from which they could recruit, train, and deploy terrorists to other countries.

The Taliban also has a close relationship with the Haqqani network, a militant group based in Pakistan. The Haqqani network is closely linked to al-Qaeda and has provided safe haven for al-Qaeda leaders.

The Taliban also has ties to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan has trained dozens of Germans for attacks in Europe and has worked with al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network.

The Taliban's relationship with the Afghan government

Following the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban was ousted from power by a US-led military coalition. The Taliban regrouped across the border in Pakistan and began taking back territory. By August 2021, the Taliban had swept back into power, with the Afghan military collapsing and Western-backed Afghan government leaders fleeing.

The Taliban has yet to establish a formal government and has struggled to transition its ranks into formal roles of state security forces. They have, however, taken steps to assume the authority of the state, quickly announcing "interim" appointees for all but one ministry under the previous government structure. The Taliban has also revived the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which has been criticized for enforcing strict dictates on social behavior, including gender integration, dancing, music, and television.

The Taliban's relationship with the international community, including the United States, has been complex. The United States has not recognized the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan and has called for the establishment of an inclusive government that reflects Afghanistan's diversity. At the same time, the United States has engaged with the Taliban to ensure they abide by their commitments, including preventing al-Qaeda and other militants from operating in areas they control.

The future of Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains highly uncertain. While the Taliban has pledged to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists, there are concerns that the group has not turned over a new leaf. The Taliban's hardline ideology and commitment to their interpretation of Sharia law continue to raise questions about their ability to govern effectively and respect human rights.

The Taliban's relationship with the Afghan people

During their first stint in power, the Taliban imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law, or Islamic law, and were widely condemned for massacres against Afghan civilians, harsh discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, denial of UN food supplies to starving civilians, destruction of cultural monuments, banning women from school and most employment, and prohibition of most music. The Taliban also committed a cultural genocide against the Afghan people by destroying their historical and cultural texts, artifacts, and sculptures.

The Taliban's harsh treatment of women is well-documented. They have prohibited most girls from attending secondary school, banned all women from attending and teaching at universities, and prevented women from working. In addition, women were required to wear the head-to-toe burqa, were not allowed to travel without a male guardian, and were subjected to public floggings and executions. The Taliban's policies have had a devastating impact on the lives of Afghan women, with reports of an increase in child marriage rates and a drastic rise in the number of women arrested for violating discriminatory policies.

The Taliban have also committed massacres and targeted killings of their opponents, including the 1998 slaughter of 8,000 mostly Shia Hazara non-combatants in Mazar-i-Sharif. They have also been accused of using child soldiers and forcing boys as young as 10 to fight in their ranks.

The Taliban's return to power in 2021 has once again plunged Afghanistan into economic and humanitarian crises. The country's economy has floundered, with malnutrition soaring and hundreds of thousands of jobs lost. The Taliban's takeover has wiped out gains in Afghans' standards of living, and the country is now facing widespread food insecurity.

The Taliban's relationship with the Afghan army

After their ouster, the Taliban regrouped in Pakistan and began taking back territory. The U.S. and its allies then spent the next two decades attempting to stabilize Afghanistan by training and equipping the Afghan army to fight the Taliban. However, the Taliban maintained close ties with al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, and despite the presence of U.S. and NATO forces, they continued to launch attacks and gain territory.

In 2020, the U.S. signed the Doha Agreement with the Taliban, committing to withdraw all U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan if the Taliban cut ties with terrorist groups. This agreement ultimately led to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, leaving the Afghan army to face the Taliban without the support they had relied on for years.

The Afghan army, despite having larger numbers and better equipment, was unable to sustain control of the country in the absence of U.S. firepower and soon collapsed. Many Afghan soldiers chose to cut deals with the Taliban, surrender, or simply melt away rather than risk their lives fighting a losing battle. The rapid collapse of the Afghan army can be attributed to several factors, including a lack of morale, poor leadership, corruption, and illiteracy among Afghan troops.

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