US President Joe Biden speaking about the end of the war in Afghanistan, White House, Washington, August 31, 2021 A 90-minute phone conversation between the presidents of the United States and China surely makes world news, but President Joe Biden’s call to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday draws special attention on its timing, …
Taliban get a government!
The regional states will be shell-shocked by the brazen way Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), coerced the Taliban to announce an interim government that is guaranteed to preserve Rawalpindi’s control over the levers of power in Kabul. There are several things to be noted about the so-called interim government announced …
Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-14
14. The fall of Panjshir Panjshir has fallen to the Taliban with a bang — and a whimper. The bang is because a 40-year old legend lies shattered, the legend of the invincibility of Panjshir Valley. And the whimper is because the short-lived ‘resistance’ had a tame ending. A BBC report said the revolt’s two …
Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-13
13. Panjshir revolt becomes footnote At the daily foreign ministry briefing in Beijing on Friday, Russian correspondent of Sputnik asked spokesperson Ambassador Wang Wenbin how China viewed the Taliban decision to attack Panjshir and how this will affect the Afghan situation. Ambassador Wang replied that “it is China’s sincere hope that all parties in Afghanistan …
Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-12
Taliban takes control of Kabul Airport, August 31, 2021 12. To recognise, or not to recognise, that’s the question At the weekly briefing in Moscow on Thursday by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia will consider recognising Afghanistan’s new authorities once an inclusive government is formed in the country. To quote Zakharova, …
Biden gives green signal to US-China thaw
US climate envoy & former secretary of state John Kerry (L) and Chinese Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (File photo) The visit to Tianjin by President Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry on September 1-3 is assuming a huge dimension holding promise as a defining moment in the tense bilateral relationship between China and the …
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Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-11
Taliban’s elite Badri 313 military unit takes position after US troop withdrawal from Kabul airport on August 31, 2021. 11. US slips out of Kabul but is vengeful The back-to-back press briefings on August 30 by General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr, commander, US Central Command and Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, on Afghanistan conveys the …
Rise and rise of Qatar in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (R) receiving Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar (2nd-R), Doha, Sept. 2020 When the US State Department announced that it would host a virtual ministerial meeting on August 30 with “key partners on Afghanistan,” there was an element of surprise in the list of participants. Apart from the US’ NATO and EU allies, …
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US-China relations at crossroads
In two phone calls past fortnight, Chinese Councilor & FM Wang Yi (L) told US counterpart Antony Blinken (R) that coordination over Afghanistan would depend on US policies towards Beijing The Biden Administration, in dire straits over Afghanistan, is pursuing China for help. There have been two phone calls to Chinese State Councilor and FM …
Reflections on Events in Afghanistan-10
Sirajuddin Haqqani, specially designated global terrorist under US law, carrying a reward of $5 million for information leading to his arrest, tipped as as Afghanistan’s prime minister (File photo) 10. Taliban has a package deal with US. Coast is clear for new government in Kabul. The US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed today in …