Part One: A Step Backwards
It is easy to convince oneself that the world outside your borders can be ignored, but time and again the policy of isolationism has proved misguided. History has taught us that we must learn from our mistakes and attempt to not repeat them, and at no time in history has the world been more interconnected than now. The events that plague one corner of the globe can easily inflame another in a moment’s notice, and Afghanistan is no exception. When the White House made the decision to exchange five Taliban leaders for a US POW the administration essentially rolled the dice on foreign policy.
Let’s assume for a moment that we all subscribe to the belief that the Taliban and al Qaeda are two separate groups with no inroads between them. We set aside the fact that al Qaeda trained Taliban fighters, and that the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and allowed training camps in their backyard. One quick look at the Taliban’s official website and it is not hard to come to the conclusion that they have as much respect and admiration for Westerners as al Qaeda. The terms “jihad” and “infidel” are prominently displayed on the homepage. And it is highly unlikely that in nearly 12 years of imprisonment (at the hands of what they consider “infidels”) their views on Westerners have softened. So let’s ask ourselves why is it so important to the Taliban that these five individuals be released? There are over 100 detainees in Gitmo, why these? Because the Taliban wants and needs its leaders.
It’s no secret that the US is completely pulling out of Afghanistan. The administration has published its timeline which means that the Taliban know the countdown is on, and educated individuals can conclude that the Taliban are seeking to regain power. They have already sought to undermine current progress with insurgent fighting, threats, and acts of violence throughout Afghanistan and inside Pakistan. The individuals released by the Obama administration will surely add credence to the opposition already in place, and thus add to an already unstable situation.
Believing that the Taliban has no ties to al Qaeda may make one assume that there then is no threat to US security, but what about the threat the Taliban poses to Afghanistan? This is a regime that enforced a “hard line version of Islamic law.” They encouraged and participated in things such as: public executions for adultery, amputations for stealing, imprisonment for girls attending school after the age of ten, and banning an array of books, music and cinema. In addition, at one point they forced out all but a handful of foreigners, even those working to assist the Afghan people. During the Taliban regime Afghans suffered tremendously and the country had one of the worst records for human rights, especially for women. Releasing these prisons, which includes Mullah Norullah Noori who is wanted by the UN for war crimes, sows the seeds of a major resurgence for the Taliban. A resurgence that could very well topple an already shaky Afghanistan. With the US pulling out of the region it may seem as though that threat means little to us, but if that region descends into anarchy someone will be there to pick up the pieces, the question remains who and how will it affect the rest of the world? Only time will tell.
For more detailed information on each of the released Taliban members go to Fox News, CNN, the BBC.
Sources: Fox News, CNN, BBC, the Guardian, the Telegraph, New York Times, US Archives, CIA website, the Taliban’s webpage, and various books on Afghanistan.
Image courtesy of conservativebyte.com
