Taliban praise India for resisting Afghan entanglement
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.
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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.
@Zalmai: Minding ones own business(by all three) is a much safer than trying to continue with the Great Game
@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!
We love the Afghans. If they don't like us we will be devastated. But if they prosper we will be absolutely delighted.
india wont go...i dont think
@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.
On behalf of all the Indians I can simply say "We don't give a crap about their opinion"
@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...
@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?
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.
@Jai: How kind and compassionate your opinion of India is towards Afghanistan. HOW ABOUT FAIR DEALING IN OCCUPIED KASHMIR?
@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.
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?
@abdul karim: That is for us to decide. We have business interests in Afghanistan and we have to protect those.
@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.
@Arjun: u know i wish india can do what u/say,and we will see what happen next?
@ 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.
@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.
yawn !!
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
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.
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.
@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.
@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.
@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.
@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.
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.
This is non voilence policies India of Mahatma Gandhi, where enemies praise your efforts and become friends with your good deed.
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
@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.
@Babloo: "India will continue to support those Afghan political forces" those forces that will likely fail in a not-so-distant future.
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.
@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.
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.
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.
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.
@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.
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.
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.
What wrong India has done that Taliban is praising her?
"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.
@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.
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.
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.
“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.
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!!
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.
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!
let those barbarians go in their way...who cares..
lets have the text of their statement and who said it...
Link between TTP and India is exposed.