U.S. News: China is prepared to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan if it succeeds in toppling the Western-backed government in Kabul, U.S. News has learned, a prospect that undercuts the Biden administration’s remaining source of leverage over the insurgent network as it continues its startling campaign to regain control.
Beijing has publicly pressured the Taliban to continue working toward a peace agreement with President Ashraf Ghani’s government – an outcome China appears to genuinely prefer and one the U.S. has pressed with growing urgency. However, new Chinese military and intelligence assessments of the realities on the ground in Afghanistan have prompted leaders in the Chinese Communist Party to prepare to formalize their relationship with the insurgent network, according to multiple U.S. and foreign intelligence sources familiar with the Chinese assessments.
The move comes as the Taliban has been routing Afghan forces – as of Thursday afternoon it had overrun 10 major provincial capitals, including one near Kabul, sometimes uncontested, along with key territory that connects with China’s border. And it also undermines U.S. attempts to try to pressure the insurgent group to return in good faith to diplomatic negotiations in Doha, Qatar, where America’s envoy returned this week for new talks.
“If the Taliban claim to want international legitimacy, these actions are not going to get them the legitimacy they seek,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Friday. “They could choose to devote the same energy to their peace process as they are to their military campaign. We strongly urge them to do so.”
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. Read More
Opinion: What happens to the Middle East if/when the Taliban takes over Afghanistan?
Foreign Policy, August 39, 2017
The Taliban’s Strongholds in Afghanistan
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in the mid-1990s and developed close ties to al Qaeda and its founder, Osama bin Laden. The Taliban gave shelter to bin Laden and al Qaeda in Afghanistan, prompting the United States to invade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The U.S. military quickly toppled the Taliban regime, but its fighters regrouped and have slowly regained territory there in the past three years since the withdrawal of most international combat troops in 2014. read more
VOA News, February 9, 2021
Islamic State Poised for Possible Resurgence in Afghanistan, US Officials Warn
The Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan – seemingly pushed to the brink last year following unrelenting pressure from the U.S. and Afghan militaries, and by multiple Taliban offenses – appears to have recovered and may soon look to strike further afield, according to U.S. military and intelligence officials. read more
ADL, June 24, 2021
Al Qaeda Renews Its Focus on Antisemitism and Attacking Israel
In recent weeks, Al Qaeda has dedicated an unusual amount of its propaganda towards encouraging attacks on Israel, Jewish institutions, and Jewish people. Given shifts in the Islamist extremist environment—including the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas in May 2021 and Al Qaeda’s expectation that it will gain a safe operational haven in Afghanistan as the United States withdraws from the country—this suggests that Al Qaeda or one of its regional affiliates may intend to recommit to attack Israel or the Jewish Diaspora. read more
On April 12, 2017 President Donald J. Trump dropped a 21,600 pound bomb called the mother of all bombs on ISIS fighters in Afghanistan, keeping his campaign promise to put a stop to the terror group.
If/when the Taliban takes back control of Afghanistan, ISIS and al Qaeda will have a base of operations to renew terror attacks against Israel, and a resurgent Taliban, supported by China, will be in position for the final war.
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.” Revelation 16:12
One thing is certain, Joe Biden is no Donald Trump.
