The entrance to the US embassy in Kabul after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan (Al Jazeera)

Kabul -

The US State Department issued the new strategy regarding dealing with the Afghan government formed by the Taliban in 2021 after the withdrawal of US forces from the country. It outlined broad lines regarding Washington's position regarding the recent developments in the region and Afghanistan.

The strategy identifies 4 important areas:

  • anti-terrorism".

  • and economic assistance.

  • And consular services for American citizens inside Afghanistan.

  • And to help Afghans who want to immigrate to the United States. The strategy also affirms that Washington "will continue to defend the basic rights of the Afghan people, especially women and girls."

Commenting on it, writer and political researcher Hikmat Jalil told Al Jazeera Net, "From a logistical point of view, it will be easier for the United States to help the Afghans who are seeking asylum there."

He explains, "There are 80,000 Afghans who want to seek refuge in the United States because they have worked during the past two decades with American forces, and they suffer from slow procedures regarding their applications. The return of the American consulate to Kabul will affect their situation, in addition to closely monitoring the security and political situation in Afghanistan."

The US Embassy in the Green Zone in the center of the Afghan capital, Kabul (Al Jazeera)

impact

With the fall of the previous Afghan republic, or government, in August 2021, the United States closed its embassy in Kabul, marking a symbolic end to two decades of military and political engagement with Afghanistan.

In this context, international relations researcher Abdul Kabir Nouri told Al Jazeera Net that there is a trend in Washington that believes that the US State Department and US intelligence can defend US interests in Afghanistan without there being a military presence on the ground, “so Washington is considering returning the consulate to Kabul.” ".

Afghan affairs experts believe that the new strategy revolves around American interests in Afghanistan, and that there are points that are in the interest of the current Afghan government, which is that the United States does not want to change the regime through the use of force, but rather emphasizes a peaceful solution and the full implementation of the Doha Agreement between Washington and the Taliban until Afghans can reunite.

A source in the office of the Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs believes that the important and positive point in the new American strategy is that the United States does not support any armed opposition in Afghanistan.

The source told Al Jazeera Net that it is a great opportunity for the current government and it must exploit it to be able to build confidence with the international community, and as long as Washington views the Afghan file from this perspective, “other parties will not dare to fund and support the fronts that were formed outside the country to spread chaos in Afghanistan.”

Goals

This strategy views ISIS-Khorasan as a threat to the Taliban’s ability to provide security and stability in Afghanistan and the entire region, and accuses China, Russia, and Iran of trying to achieve strategic and economic gains from the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, or - at least - putting Washington in an uncomfortable position. It is favorable in it.

Observers believe that Washington was waiting for the Taliban to change its behavior and dealing with the Afghan people and accept the previous political movements, and then deal with a regime recognized by the international community.

Director of the Institute of Strategic and Political Studies, Aziz Barz, told Al Jazeera Net, “The announcement of the new strategy has a direct relationship with Chinese President Xi Jin receiving the new Afghan ambassador and recognizing the government led by the Taliban. The goal of returning to Kabul is to pursue security goals, stand up to the influence of neighboring countries, and put pressure on the Taliban.” .

The American move indicates a major shift in US policy towards Afghanistan and the region, and it is looking for a mechanism to deal with the Taliban without recognizing the Afghan government as the leader of the movement. Washington seeks to achieve multiple security, political and economic goals.

In this context, the former advisor to the US forces in Afghanistan, Wahed Faqiri, told Al Jazeera Net that the new document revealed that Washington is considering opening its consulate in Kabul without recognizing the Afghan government.

He ruled out implementing the new strategy before the presidential elections in the United States because President Joe Biden will not dare to open the consulate at this critical time, because Congress is investigating the issue of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and its impact on his country’s position in the region, according to his opinion.

new page

During negotiations with the Taliban in Doha, Washington stipulated that the US embassy be kept in Kabul, provided that the Taliban agreed to keep between 1,200 and 1,800 American soldiers to secure the US diplomatic mission in Afghanistan, but the movement rejected this request.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid commented and said to Al Jazeera Net, “We want to deal with the international community, and if the United States returns to Afghanistan, we will provide the necessary security and protection for its mission, and we want to open a new page with it, and a large number of embassies and consulates operate in a safe atmosphere and there is nothing to worry about.” Foreign diplomatic corps in the country.

According to the “Global Terrorism Index” for 2023 issued by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the rate of violence related to “terrorism” in Afghanistan has decreased by 75% over the past two years, but security experts say that the United States will not risk returning to Afghanistan.

Former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Reconciliation, Abdullah Khunjani, speaking to Al Jazeera Net, believes that it will be difficult for Washington to send its ambassador or diplomatic mission to Kabul, because it does not want to repeat the tragedy of the killing of its ambassador in Benghazi at the hands of armed movements, and that the problem lies in how to define the relationship with... The Taliban movement and the implementation of the Doha Agreement “the only way to resolve the crisis in Afghanistan.”

Source: Al Jazeera