Improving ties with US key to bringing Afghanistan back into international fold, Zalmay Khalilzad says
Improving ties with the US is key to bringing Afghanistan back into the international fold, Washington's former envoy to the country has said. Zalmay Khalilzad told The National that it would be a mistake for the US to turn its back on Afghanistan . "It creates a vacuum in a strategically important location, that our adversaries are only too happy to fill," he said. "It gives opportunities to…
Former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, believes that strengthening relations with the United States is crucial for Afghanistan to rejoin the global community. Khalilzad warned that leaving Afghanistan to its own devices would create an opportunity for adversaries to fill the strategic void, potentially aiding terrorists and causing further suffering to the Afghan people.
However, the path forward is complicated. The recent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has led to a blame game among political factions. Republicans have criticized former President Joe Biden for mishandling the situation, while some Republicans in the House of Representatives published a scathing report blaming Biden for failing to plan ahead.
Khalilzad emphasized that resolving these differences will require time and a willingness to confront both past and present realities, as well as future interests. Among the obstacles to stabilization are the Taliban's treatment of Americans still held captive, and the ongoing discrimination against women and girls in the country. Khalilzad described the Taliban's ban on girls' education as not only morally wrong but also socially shortsighted.
Afghan women's rights activist Yalda Royan highlighted the plight of women and girls under Taliban rule, calling it "the world's biggest prison for women and girls." She emphasized that oppression is no longer just the Taliban's doing; it has become a systemic issue. Despite these challenges, there is hope, as some foreign lobbyists and social media outlets continue to promote a more positive image of Afghanistan.
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