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Taliban praise India for resisting Afghan entanglement
Taliban striking a softer tone towards India could be a sign of a more independent course.
Taliban striking a softer tone towards India could be a sign of a more independent course. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
KABUL: India has done well to resist US calls for greater involvement in Afghanistan, the Taliban said in a rare direct comment about one of the strongest opponents of the hardline militant group that was ousted from power in 2001.
The Taliban also said they won’t let Afghanistan be used as a base against another country, addressing fears in New Delhi that Pakistan-based anti-India militants may become more emboldened if the Taliban return to power.
The Afghan Taliban have longstanding ties to Pakistan and striking a softer tone towards its arch rival India could be a sign of a more independent course.
Direct talks with the United States – which have since been suspended – and an agreement to open a Taliban office in Qatar to conduct formal peace talks have been seen as signs of a more assertive stance.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta this month encouraged India to take a more active role in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops leave in 2014. The Taliban said Panetta had failed.
“He spent three days in India to transfer the heavy burden to their shoulders, to find an exit, and to flee from Afghanistan,” the group said on its English website.
“Some reliable media sources said that the Indian authorities did not pay heed to (US) demands and showed their reservations, because the Indians know or they should know that the Americans are grinding their own axe.”
There had been no assurance for the Americans, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters on Sunday.
“It shows that India understands the facts,” he said.
India is one of the biggest donors in Afghanistan, spending about $2 billion on projects ranging from the construction of highways to the building of the Afghan parliament. It has also won an iron ore concession in a $11 billion investment.
But New Delhi has avoided involvement in bolstering Afghan security, except for running courses for small groups of Afghan army officers at military institutions in India.
“No doubt that India is a significant country in the region, but is also worth mentioning that they have full information about Afghanistan because they know each other very well in the long history,” the Taliban said.
“They are aware of the Afghan aspirations, creeds and love for freedom. It is totally illogical they should plunge their nation into a calamity just for the American pleasure.”
India backed the Northern Alliance during the civil war and was frozen out of Afghanistan once the Taliban took over in 1996 until their ouster by US forces. It has since developed close ties with Kabul, prompting Pakistani fears of encirclement.
Pakistan has strong traditional links with the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups. Islamabad denies that it uses them as proxies to gain leverage in Afghanistan ahead of any settlement to the war, or in case civil war breaks out after foreign troops leave.
Vikram Sood, a former chief of India’s intelligence agency, said the Taliban statement held an implicit warning for India.
“It’s more a gentle reminder asking India not to mess around in Afghanistan after the Americans leave,” he told Reuters.
Reader Comments (63)
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Link between TTP and India is exposed.
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lets have the text of their statement and who said it…
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let those barbarians go in their way…who cares..
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The Taliaban had sent India a friendly signal “not to mess around in Afghanistan after the Americans leave in 2014. How about the prominent members of the Shanghai Corporation Organisation which met in Beijing a week ago? China and Russia are keen on having a stable Afghanistan, most probably without the Taliban!
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India is there to help the Afghan people in whatever capacity it can toward legitimate aspirations of development and trade so their children can get out of the cycle of violence and have a future instead of the same dead end future of the Afghan warlord war industry. India hardly does it for praise or threats from some backwoods tellytubbies. Looks like Taliban has been watching too many reruns of the Soviet era Rambo movie.
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Wait until US leaves. Once US is out their influence will decrease and the defeat they suffered they wont be back for the next 100 years that’s if US lasts that long.
Anyhow – Once US leaves I see peace returning to the region!!
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“It’s more a gentle reminder asking India not to mess around in Afghanistan after the Americans leave,” Very smart assessment by Vikram Sood. A good sign for Pakistan. Taliban is actually addressing our concerns through this statement….giving the indians a pat on their back for staying away from Afghan end game.
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The current situation in Afghanistan is the fallout of defunct USSR’s misadventure of 1979.
If we genuinely want to help and see them a happy peaceful and prosperous country,then stop playing politics and vow not to interfere in their affairs.Afghans have been used,misused,and as a result at war for 35 years,longest in human history.Let them have peace now.
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India has right and responsibility to protect its huge investments in Afghanistan. India should establish a permanent military and air base in Afghanistan. After all how can India forget the Kandahar-Air India embarrassment; They should make Kandahar as their airbase and never let Taliban to come to power. All responsible country and in fact all humane nations (including Pakistan) should not be supporting these taliban groups for what they did to women and children all these days.
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It is sad to see some just read the headlines and not the article so that can be the first to comment.Recommend
@Arjun: So you are telling that India should make Permanent bases in Kandahar and in other cities of Afghanistan. Now i came to know why Pakistan tested Nasr Missile with a small range with Nuclear Capability as a part of Rapid Reaction Tacticas. Kandahar is pretty near to Pakistan and any misadventure by India from Kandahar will be faced by Quick reaction Nasrs and because of the stupidity of the Indians whole region could end up in smokes as Pakistan Army will not wait for India to sandwich them but Pressing a Nuclear Button is a more better option. Afghans will be most stupid if they will invite India to establish bases there as Pakistan will have to act promptly then.
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“The Taliban also said they won’t let Afghanistan be used as a base against another country, addressing fears in New Delhi that Pakistan-based anti-India militants may become more emboldened if the Taliban return to power.”
What? How is that addressing fears of India? That seems more like an assurance to Pakistan then to India. Pakistan based freedom fighters don’t need a base in Afghanistan while Indians are already making full use of Afghan soil against Pakistan.
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What wrong India has done that Taliban is praising her?
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India has been extremely reluctant to have any security presence in Afganistan. Despite Afghan and US requests it has refused to send any security personnel in Afganistan for even training purposes but has insisted any training courses be conducted in India.
It has provided financial and technical infrastructure help to the Afghan people.
India detests the Taliban for its ideology inspired by religious bigotry and has publicly stated that it opposes any US or NATO attempt to find ‘good’ taliban , but even so
India does not desire any direct security involvement in Afganistan, because it feels it doesn’t want any security entanglement there.
I think its the right position. However, Taliban, need not feel relieved as India will continue to support those Afghan political forces, economically and politically, that stand against bigotry , violence and terrorism.
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Could this bee proof of Indian support to jihadis to destabilize Pakistan? I’ve heard many people say that some of the Taliban are actually Indian allies.
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Indian elephant does not care .it is no longer a pushover…and does not need a MASTER to take a decision (unlike some neibouring nations).If a decision has to be taken ,it will be taken….whether it is sending troops. sending…reinforcements, sending military support to afghan Government military to counter the Talibulllahs……or training military and investing in Afghan social infrastructure….There should not be an iota of doubt about India’s resolve to disseminate the Taliban hardliners and any damn supporter of it..Recommend
LOLS – Taliban praising India in Afghanistan!! Do we need more proof of Indian involvement in Pak unrest and suicide bombings?? You have been exposed my dear indian friends… Not for the first time. Recommend
@Arjun:
Establishing military bases in countries that you cannot access directly is suicidal. You can’t use military bases to protect investments in a war-ravaged country like Afghanistan – I think the last 10 years has managed to prove this beyond doubt. What we need is to support rule of law in Afghanistan – this will automatically protect our investments.
@Ordinary Villager:
Use of tactical nuclear weapons by a relatively small country like Pakistan is suicidal. You have three major urban clusters that are sitting ducks for any attack, and a second strike may not be an option. Also, the idea of using nuclear weapons against Indian assets in Afghanistan shows how little you care for the collateral damage on Afghan civilians – a suprising action plan from people who constantly complain about drone strikes.
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I wonder if the Taliban realizes that their praise is something nobody wants and doubles as an insult. Even counter productive if the recipient is less pleasant. But India is a doormat unless you go over the border in an official way. (e.g. war as opposed to indirect terrorism). So they’ll just ignore it.
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Learn language of diplomacy (something new to the taliban). This is a gentle warning to the Indians — come here uninvited and you will never leave like the 16000 Anglo-led Indians in the 1800s. The thing I will say is that Indians are intelligent about their limits… they will not get involved militarily in Afghanistan. That whole Sri Lanka thing did not work out too well.
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India will never forget the Indian airlines plane hijacked to Kandhar about 12 years ago when Taliban was in power and the brutal murder of a passenger whose body was dumped on the tarmac. India knows who were the puppets . India will stay irreconciliably opposed to the politics of Taliban unless they change their ideology.Recommend
Smart Indian move to avoid sure insult by not going Afganistan. The are safing a lot of Indian lives and billions of hard earned money. Let our dear Americans pay all the price of their adventure. God bless us all.
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@Shakir Lakhani: I’ve heard many people say that some of the Taliban are actually Indian allies.
Ha ha ha! I have heard a lot of weird conspiracy theories coming out of Pakistan but this one takes the cake. Clap clap clap!! Here is some more – I have heard that some of the Talibans are actually Martian aliens. Cheers!Recommend
@Arjun, “They should make Kandahar as their airbase and never let Taliban to come to power.” Absolutely agree, I just want to see India do that just for a laugh because we all know what Taliban will do to the indians.
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India has learnt. Never get involved in a military conflict unless you want to bring the full might of the Indian state and the unified resolve of its billion people , behind the purpose. That resolve and purpose must not be friterred away frivolous persuits but reserved for protecting the core values of the Indian democracy and state.
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@Babloo: “India will continue to support those Afghan political forces” those forces that will likely fail in a not-so-distant future.
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@Chopper
Predictions of failure seldom materialize. It is true in case of Pakistan – none of the doomsday scenarios will come to pass, and it probably will be true in case of Afghanistan too. Dont bet too much on the Taliban this time around.
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It would be better for every-one even for India & Pakistan to leave Afghanistan alone….Brave and resilient Afghan people will find their way to prosperity and peace
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This is non voilence policies India of Mahatma Gandhi, where enemies praise your efforts and become friends with your good deed.
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This proves to me that the Taliban are an Indian creation, and as Pakistan has always been saying, they have nothing to do with Pakistan.
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india’s relationship with afganistan dated back in british rule—-and that relationship was always FRIENDLY…coz historcally culturally we were are and will always be friendly….for eg-ASIA’S 1ST NOBLE LAUREATTE ” r.n.tagore ” has written a wonderful story on named “kabuliwala” baCK IN 1895….
well ,renaming afghani people as taliiban doesnt change that friendship at all despite all the heinous effort to tarnish that friendship by
so bottom line is that afghan people at large were,are,will our friend …and india never go and will go against any friend forever in her history whether it has the enough power to do the same..
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@A J Khan:
Link between TTP and India is exposed.
Dude really? That is what you could figure from this? It’s more like a soft warning to India to not interfere in the affairs of Afghanistan when the Americans are gone. I don’t know how stupid people really can be.
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Soft warning? Not so sure. The Afghan Taliban are looking beyond 2014, and can possibly see that they have to deal with India, one way or the other. They have too much in their hands anyway and having India on the wrong side may not be a good option…………even hoping that they will get into the Govt making process, even by a long shot.Recommend
@A J Khan: “Link between TTP and India is exposed.”
Buddy. These are the Afghan Taliban that your government supports. Read the story once more.
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@Ashar: “giving the indians a pat on their back for staying away from Afghan end game.”
India’s foreign policy is not governed by a need for getting a pat on the back from Afgan Taliban. Even when they were in power, India had not recognized them. If India is chosing not to get involved militarily (besides in a traiing capacity), that is from their longstanding principle of non-intereference in other countries. India has not interfered in Pakistan either – contrary to what you have been taught. The one exception was 1971 where India could not bear the burden of 8 million displaced Esat Pakistanis who had come to India for shelter.
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@Ordinary Villager: “Kandahar is pretty near to Pakistan and any misadventure by India from Kandahar will be faced by Quick reaction Nasrs and because of the stupidity of the Indians whole region could end up in smokes as Pakistan Army will not wait for India to sandwich them but Pressing a Nuclear Button is a more better option. “
You keep talking about pressing the nuclear button. You DO realize that India also has nuclear weaopns? Such sabre rattling makes no sense. By the way India already shares a border wit Pakistan and Lahore is really close to Amritsar. So India does not need to go to Afghanistan to try to attack Pakistan. India will not attack Pakistan because it is simply not part of India’s policy to attack other countries. Despite what you have been taught, it was Pakistan who attacked India in 1965 not the other way around.
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From some of the comments above i get the feeling that a lot of Indians and Pakistanis think that we should be involved in Afghanistan as they some how think they know better than the Afghans. I wish we would solve our own problems first before trying to give advice.
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@Chopper: “What? How is that addressing fears of India? That seems more like an assurance to Pakistan then to India. Pakistan based freedom fighters don’t need a base in Afghanistan while Indians are already making full use of Afghan soil against Pakistan.”
Indians hiding in Afghanistan and attacking Pakistan is an interesting story that your media and establishment has made up for you. It is easier for India to send people from India than from Afghanistan – if that was their intention (which it is not). They are referring to the fact that in 1999, Pakistani hijackers had hijacked an Indian plane and landed it in Kandhar and the Afghan Taliban did nothing to help India. SO yes, Pakistani DID use Afghanistan as a base against India and that IS a concern India has about Afghan Taliban coming back to power.. Recommend
@kaalchakra: “This proves to me that the Taliban are an Indian creation, and as Pakistan has always been saying, they have nothing to do with Pakistan.”
My dear kaalchakra, these are Afghan Taliban not TTP. When they were in power between 1996-2001 only 3 countries recognized them Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE. India did not recognize their government. When Afghan Taliban were in power, they supported Pakistani hijackers who had landed in Kandhar at the cost of lives of ordinary Indian citizens.Recommend
Pakistan was the only country to recognize the Taliban govt beside a few Arab countries. The secular democracy of India has never been close to any religious Muslim govt. Indians are no saints but officially it has been Pakistan who has been promoting and supporting these rightwing fanatics.
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good sign, hope india and pakistan can both realise that they shudnt interfere in each other affiarnes and race for power in Kabul should be stoped by all powers , peace can be easily achievable
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yawn !!
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@Arjun:
I dont support getting militarily involved in Afghanistan after the IPKF debacle in srilanka. At the same time, india would not completely detach itself from AF due to need of intelligence on local millitant groups which might be diverted towards india after US exits. India would and should maintain local proxies in AF to control the millitant groups which might harm indian interest. I am sure many of local military groups will be willing to work for india and balance out Talibans for money.
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@ Ayesha_khan: “Even when they were in power, India had not recognized them”.
You think indians had a choice after supporting the Northern Alliance during the 90s?
By the way do listen to indhira gandhi’s interview to bbc in 1971. She compared india’s intervention in east pakistan to allied force’s intervention in Germany to stop the killing of jews. It wasn’t the exodus that india was worried about. Wonder why the indians don’t show the same concern for tibetans.
Also please share your profound understanding of the indian foreign policy with the Sri Lankans. I am sure they would have a thing or two to say about it.
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@Arjun: u know i wish india can do what u/say,and we will see what happen next?
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@Ordinary Villager:
Pakistan can not threaten India boasting their nuclear arsenal. After all nuclear weapons are only for show. They can never ever be used. If at all Pakistan uses nuclear weapons.. then Pakistan ceases to exist. Not because of India but rest-of-the world. So please be responsible in using any hostile statements. My comments are against Taliban, not against Pakistani establishment. Pakistan should support US and other countries to get rid of Taliban from the face of the earth. They are enemies of humanity.
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@abdul karim: That is for us to decide. We have business interests in Afghanistan and we have to protect those.
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There goes the last chance to realize the elusive dream of “strategic depth”….
The question now is, what is it that Pakistan wants in Afghanistan?
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@kaalchakra: India is 7 times the land size of Pakistan , we are 1.2billion we can not be all bad as you seem to think search and you may find something good in us the same is true for Pakistan.
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@Jai: How kind and compassionate your opinion of India is towards Afghanistan. HOW ABOUT FAIR DEALING IN OCCUPIED KASHMIR?
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Dear pakistanis and indians, You should get lesson from the history. If you both cooperate in bringing peace and stability, we will wellcome you otherwise once we had Russia in North and British empire in south and you know the end result of them when they were interfering in our matters. We Afghans defeated both of them because they were imposing their rule on us. we have a clear history that we dont accept others command so as a neighbours be realistic and sensible. In my view its better to solve your disputes by dialogue and leave us alone because we have already suffered alot. I dont know what have you gained from the rivalry since 1947 and interfering in our country. pakistan knows better how much they have got in return from the start of their involvemnet in our country since 1970.
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@A J Khan:
But, they are the good Afghan Taliban as opposed to the evil Pakistan Taliban, according to so many Pakistanis!
Then again, if history and DNA can be changed so often, what to say of opinions?
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@Ashar:
we do show concern to tibetians. that is why there are various refugee camps in india for tibetians, where they practice their form of buddhism and learn their language, both forbidden in china.
regarding srilanka,, the troops were sent to srilanka on their government’s request, and many indians do admit that it was a foreign policy blunder by our naive pm…
FURTHER,
you seem to be very much concerned about the rights of kashmiris… will you surprise me with your knowledge regarding why the tamilians in srilanka took up arms in the first place…….or maYbe you do not care because they are not muslims…
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On behalf of all the Indians I can simply say “We don’t give a crap about their opinion”
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@unbeliever:
Please read my reply to ayesha khan carefully. I made that comment with reference to what indhira gandhi had to say about india’s reason for intervention in the affairs of Pakistan. If you people follow that logic then you should support the tibetans by going to various capitals of the world and UN, like indhira gandhi did, pleading their case for independence. But india wouldn’t do any such thing and i am sure you are smart enough to know why.
Everyone knows why the Sri Lankan govt requested indian troops. Does Operation Poomalai ring a bell?
Comparing Sri Lanka with Kashmir reflects on your knowledge about the issue. I don’t know if i have been able to surprise you but you certainly have given me a shock sir by comparing sri lanka with the Kashmir issue.
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@unbeliever: My dear, your own Indian government had declared the Tamil Tigers a terrorist organization while the Kashmiri freedom struggle is NOT universally declared a terrorist enterprise, don’t you know that?
@Afghanistan: Your post is full of baseless fairytales meant to stroke your own fragile national ego to avoid admitting every invader has beaten you very hard and you’re utterly incapable of beating them back. It was Pakistan’s anti-access/area-denial war strategies that led to the defeat of the Soviets and Americans; As for the Pakistani intervention that you love complaining about, you Afghans have only yourselves for everything Pakistan has ever done to you. You allied yourselves with India and the USSR against Pakistan and continually intervened inside Pakistan from 1948 until 1989 but Pakistan started intervening only after Afghanistan became communist and started harassing Pakistan more boldly. Also, when you allow anti-Pakistan terrorists to take shelter in your country and allow them the use of your territory for attacks on Pakistan you forfeit the right to complain about Pakistan intervention. You Afghans are so bitterly divided amongst yourselves and so utterly incapable of governing yourselves peacefully your own rival factions invite foreign intervention for support. As long as you refuse to recognize the Durand Line and provide everyone a base for attacking Pakistan from, Pakistan will continue to intervene Recommend
@Greene
You Afghans are so bitterly divided amongst yourselves and so utterly incapable of governing yourselves peacefully your own rival factions invite foreign intervention for support. As long as you refuse to recognize the Durand Line and provide everyone a base for attacking Pakistan from, Pakistan will continue to intervene”.
The same can be said of Pakistan, a nation made up of disparate groups of people with no common denominator or a common identity and despite inheriting all the tools of governance from colonial masters you still have not learned to provide transparent and good governance after 65 years of trying.
This is the classic example of the pot calling the kettle black. My friend we may have a fragile ego, we may also be divided amongst ourselves and utterly incapable of governing ourselves for various reasons but what is your excuse for the pathetic state of affairs in your country.
At least we have a proven history however flawed and imperfect, we have a fragile ego that we own compared to Pakistan’s assumed alter egos we have a far superior identity, and the names of our national heroes are written all over your missiles and rockets.Recommend
india wont go…i dont think
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We love the Afghans. If they don’t like us we will be devastated. But if they prosper we will be absolutely delighted.
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The Strategic Partnership Agreement signed between Afghanistan and the US signals the end of all competing proxies in Afghanistan. By 2024 Afghanistan will rise from the ashes with a strong, stable and representative government and a sustainable economy, which will wipe out the patron-client system employed by regional players to gain influence in Afghanistan.
The Great Game will be relegated to the annals of history and all the players involved in the great game will be scrambling to sell their products in this region and not their hollow and shortsighted ideologies.
All the hawkish Pakistanis and Indians posting belligerent comments can rest assured that Afghans will be on equal footing with all its neighbors by 2024 and deftly play regional rivals against each other in advancing its own interests. Afghans are active players in The Great Game and they will do anything to come out with major concessions from all the participants. A new dawn is rising and so is Afghanistan.Recommend
@Zalmai:
“The Great Game will be relegated to the annals of history …”
Then:
“Afghans will be on equal footing with all its neighbors by 2024 and deftly play regional rivals against each other”
So, the new annals of the Great Game will start with Afghans playing ” regional rivals against each other.”? Are you sure, you are not going to repeat what Pakistan has been doing so far and miserably failing at that? But, may be your deft play will mark the difference!
“A new dawn is rising and so is Afghanistan.”
Hallelujah and God speed to that!
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@Zalmai: Minding ones own business(by all three) is a much safer than trying to continue with the Great Game
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LOC should be made border. War/proxy war should end. Food productivity,infrastructure development,investment,sanitation should increase in south asia. Population explosion, religious radicalization should be stopped.
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