Afghanistan News & Discussion - April 2016

[Ambar]

Like i said the taliban 2.0 are more pakis than pakis ! The talib (student) has truly caught up with the ustad (teacher).

Afghanistan: Taliban to rely on Chinese funds, spokesperson says
With the help of China, the Taliban will fight for an economic comeback in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid tells Italian newspaper.
In his interview published by La Repubblica on Thursday, Mujahid said the Taliban will fight for an economic comeback with the help of China.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, on August 15 as the country’s Western-backed government melted away, bringing an end to 20 years of war amid fears of an economic collapse and widespread hunger.

Following the chaotic departure of foreign troops from Kabul airport in recent weeks, Western states have severely restricted their aid payments to Afghanistan.

“China is our most important partner and represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us, because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country,” the Taliban spokesperson was quoted as saying in the interview.

He said the New Silk Road – an infrastructure initiative with which China wants to increase its global influence by opening up trade routes – was held in high regard by the Taliban.

There are “rich copper mines in the country, which, thanks to the Chinese, can be put back into operation and modernised. In addition, China is our pass to markets all over the world.”
Mujahid also confirmed that women would be allowed to continue studying at universities in future. He said women would be able to work as nurses, in the police or as assistants in ministries, but ruled out that there would be female ministers.

Afghanistan desperately needs money, and the Taliban is unlikely to get swift access to the roughly $10bn in assets here mostly held abroad by the Afghan central bank.

Earlier this week, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned of a looming “humanitarian catastrophe” in Afghanistan and urged countries to provide emergency funding as severe drought and war have forced thousands of families to flee their homes.

Guterres expressed his “grave concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country”, adding that basic services threatened to collapse “completely”.

“Now more than ever, Afghan children, women and men need the support and solidarity of the international community,” he said in a statement on Tuesday as he pleaded for financial support from nations.

“I urge all member states to dig deep for the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need. I urge them to provide timely, flexible and comprehensive funding,” the UN secretary-general said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/2 ... erson-says

a. China will not put boots on the ground but will take a business interest in Afghanistan, and like most Chinese investments in troubled lands, this one too will likely sink without trace in time.

b. China or Turkey will takeover Bagram airport, it is only a matter of time.

c. Bitter enemies just a month back and someone whom US was at war for 20 full years are now US' new found friends. Make no mistakes about it, US will try to woo the taliban to keep them away from China. The rehabilitation of taliban at all levels is on its way, IMF funding, Worldbank loans, ADB loans etc. The taliban 2.0 being more pakis than pakis will try to use China against the US, KSA against Qatar , Iran against KSA/UAE, India against Pakistan and so on to get $$. How much they'll succeed is anyone's guess but it does opens up some interesting possibilities.

The world has not looked this interesting since arab spring in 2009.

[chetak]

Nikki Haley has said that Chinese may take over Bagram air base. If that happens, India is going to be having a real security nightmare.

India will have to make chinese presence in afghanistan real difficult.

this is going to hurt us badly. One or two S-400 systems will be consumed in countering this.

the taliban is looking to us for free food grain and cement and steel.

we have no chips for bargaining because we will foolishly just send them free VAX, medicines, doctors, and nurses, and also, taliban wants India's health care infrastructure to be made open to them, with visas on demand for treatment of their wounded and mid level senior fighters

whatever we send afghanistan, will, in part, get diverted to the pakis

[g.sarkar]

What is Nikki Haley complaining about? It was OK for the US to occupy Bagram Air Base, but it is great evil if China did the same. If it was such a great deal then US should have stayed put.
Gautam

[Pratyush]

this is going to hurt us badly. One or two S-400 systems will be consumed in countering this.

the taliban is looking to us for free food grain and cement and steel.

we have no chips for bargaining because we will foolishly just send them free VAX, medicines, doctors, and nurses, and also, taliban wants India's health care infrastructure to be made open to them, with visas on demand for treatment of their wounded and mid level senior fighters

whatever we send afghanistan, will, in part, get diverted to the pakis

1) why would s400 be consumed if the PRC is in Afghanistan.

2) how would Indian materials reach Afghanistan. How would the Taliban government pay for imports.

3) In Afghanistan we should have the ability to play the spoiler. I think the northern front is the tool for the job. We have to make sure that the alliance remains intact. But again logistics will be a major issue.

[Pratyush]

What is Nikki Haley complaining about? It was OK for the US to occupy Bagram Air Base, but it is great evil if China did the same. If it was such a great deal then US should have stayed put.
Gautam

This is purely an emotional position.

I will be happy, if the Taliban is brought under PRC debt.

Let's see how the neo colonial communists deal with the Taliban.

PS I am quite impressed with the quality of Taliban outreach to the Indian anti Modi media.

I wish we were able to build a similar capacity in our enemy states.

[yensoy]

Yeah while the awaam in Pureland is going gaga about Taliban kicking out the Americans, those in the know realize the sh*tstorm which is going to blow in the coming months. You can see Pak shampoo-boy flailing and begging for Western support.



Honestly, if I were a level-headed Paki leader, I would take over Afghanistan under the valid pretext that they are incapable of governing themselves (and yeah we are so islamic and so brotherly etc). But it would need a lot of money and the singular purpose of saving a failing state, and not for "strategic depth" or for bunny training camps.

[RKumar]

the taliban is looking to us for free food grain and cement and steel.

we have no chips for bargaining because we will foolishly just send them free VAX, medicines, doctors, and nurses, and also, taliban wants India's health care infrastructure to be made open to them, with visas on demand for treatment of their wounded and mid level senior fighters

whatever we send afghanistan, will, in part, get diverted to the pakis

Sir, what is your definition of influence or chips? if cavemen are expecting us to give them medicine/ medical facilities, food, cement and steel. Why we will do it anything free of cost? Dharma people will give give reasonable food to hungry but expecting more from a Hindu Nation is too much.

[Pratyush]

https://www.rediff.com/news/report/as-m ... 210903.htm

This didn't take long.

[RajaRudra]

--del--

[chetak]

What is Nikki Haley complaining about? It was OK for the US to occupy Bagram Air Base, but it is great evil if China did the same. If it was such a great deal then US should have stayed put.
Gautam

g.sarkar ji,

aunty is not complaining, she is warning. Why would aunty care about who occupied bagram, especially since she is a political lightweight with no real say in what the bye-den lot do

combination of cheeni bases in tibet and the afpak region while not impossible to handle, it will certainly make life difficult for our planners and strategists. If they take bagram, they will be derisking with additional operational options available to them while our risk universe will enlarged to our detriment.

The hans have a military presence in srilanka, nepal, myanmar, pak, and now maybe in afghanistan too while we have been sitting, literally like deer frozen in the headlights.


the cheeni are not shy of operating overseas bases, bagram would be a great windfall for them

someone will surely occupy bagram with the blessings of the talibanis, because it means good money for them which they desperately need.

The taliban will provide better security than the pakis ever can because no "hooman rights", state and non state supported NGO morons will poke their noses into the talibani affairs.

the taliban will not warn, they will simply kill to enforce their writ.

The taliban are playing nice because they are frantically seeking international recognition for their "government". Such recognition will bring in "aid" and ease trade restrictions.

[chetak]

Sir, what is your definition of influence or chips? if cavemen are expecting us to give them medicine/ medical facilities, food, cement and steel. Why we will do it anything free of cost? Dharma people will give give reasonable food to hungry but expecting more from a Hindu Nation is too much.

It is because our "neighbours" have all learned how to play us. They have contempt for us while they kow tow and crap their pants while dealing with the hans.

No one dares to criticise the hans on any count, especially not our "neighbors".

why did we provide so much of VAX to our ungrateful neighbors, what was the necessity. The afghans have also learned how to freeload on us. The taliban are expecting it to continue and already subtle hints and pressures are being brought to bear.

"we have the right to speak on behalf of the cashmeris and Indian muslims" is the latest statement from the talibani spoki. I see this as a threat and it is their first move in "negiotiations" with India

Taliban on Kashmir: ‘Have the right to speak out on behalf of Muslims in any country’

‘Have the right to speak out on behalf of Muslims in any country’

we have sunk many billions in afghani infrastructure, are we going to get paid or can we hope to recoup our investments. The taliban want us to maintain it for them and there is no hint of any payments

as far as neighbors are concerned, they all see that India is all hat and no cowboy.

there is a lot to be said for the way the hans deal with other states.

The hans change very quickly from all carrot, no stick to all stick, no carrot, like nepal and srilanka discovered and now both are f(uked and far from home.

India is yet to learn sovereign realpolitik. we are still going strong on foolish notions like "atithi devo bhava" and "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam".

for the hans, there is no " kutumbakam" and certainly no "atithi" There is only us and no one else. The world understands selfish power, especially cheeni power. It takes advantage of countries like India whose biggest flaw is that they want to be liked by everyone. The US, colonial britshits, colonial portugal, spain, germany, france, the dutch and other marauding countries were all selfish powers.

why did we not learn from all these other countries or are we so very special.

Why we will do anything free of cost

India is like Modi, who just does not know how to use the power of 303 seats in parliament and more often than not, his team end up shooting themselves in the foot, just like India, especially when dealing with the third rate free loading, ungrateful and abusive neighbors.

We worry too much about how others see us. The compulsive need to be liked is a fatal flaw and it is also the crux of all our problems and that is how these two bit no hopers play us.

[RKumar]

^ I agree on all points excepts that we don't have leverage over cavemen.

There are choices, we have to make. One of the choices is to do the lip service but no action. It is clear Bharat as well as west, must not invest large sums in Afg. It is the only way, to put some sense into the heads of Napak and cavemen. If both of them are doing something unconventional, absorb the loss but pay back in a brutal way to put the fear of other Gods.

Let's see if external forces support each other or they play against each other.

[Aditya_V]

Any intelligent person knows we just pay lip service. Best is to Help Russia, Tajiks etc against the Pakiban. I hope has the sense not to support the Pakiban again.

[shyamd]

Just wanted to share a timeline/thread

I think consensus within current TSPA establishment is they regret recognising the previous Taleban govt without support of international powers - bad PR and guilt by association. Especially that Taleban was not inclusive last time - this created its own instability. This time TSPA want there to be inclusive govt (with TSPA at the top to veto anything big .... like GOI involvement)

TSPA has outlined 2 core national interest:
1. Vision for future of Afghanistan (particularly the Durand Line border)
2. Role of India in that region

Previous Afghan govts failed on both counts. Right from the start Afghan govt told then senior TSPA officers that they don't recognise durand line.
Also the US was setting up ANDF ORBAT to focus on Pakistan(!).
Taleban takeover of Afghanistan was a necessity in their eyes. But there is no guarantee that they can control Taleban indefinitely.... Question is what is Taleban position on points 1 and 2 above.

TSPA expectation is that instability in places like FATA, Baluchistan and other places will reduce once Taleb take over is complete

Assessment of Security Situation post Kabul takeover


TSPA priority
- TSPA support Taleban priority firstly will be to consolidate, secure and prevent any forces that can launch a counter coup. Apparently Kabul is not completely secure and the Taleban are still continuing operations.
- Negotiations are taking place between Taleban and forces that are capable of resisting thus the general amnesty for former Afghan govt officials (to complete the coup which means the Taleban/TSPA are still worried about resistance forces)
- The other issues is that TSPA know that there are a lot of groups that are not under direct C2 of TSPA - these will need to be dealt with as well eventually

- Consensus for major powers is that as long as Taleban is truly 'inclusive' then pressure will be taken off Taleban - I believe funds of the Afghan govt have been frozen or about to be frozen
- ISI backed troops such as LeT and JeM are playing a significant role. They have two roles - keep control of Taleban gangs going lose/off the chain and prevent forces that can launch a counter coup.

GOI moves
- First priority is securing all Indian nationals, diplomats and other interests of the Sikh/Hindu community. Majority of the work was completed in 48 hours from the green light given by GOI leaders.
- The next will be to re-establish connections with key players (some of whom are in Delhi) and others in central asian states.
- GOI have a choice. Either support those ready to launch a counter coup and make the point that Taleban hold is weak/vulnerable or move to a long term strategy which is to be recon/surveillance/intel focused.

With only around 9% of indian population vaccinated GOI's primary focus is to get this fixed.

Expectation is that we'll be back to stadium murders soon.
Apparently GOI - Taleban meeting was reported in arab press (the one that MEA denied that took place). Taleban said they welcome Indian investments in infra & education as these are for the benefit of all afghans. They also said the Taliban pledged to remain neutral in the India-Pakistan conflict, especially with regard to Kashmir, and affirmed that it has its own future policy on Pakistan.

They have also pledged not to interfere in Uyghur issues in china.

Be careful....maybe ISI want us to think that. From speaking to people I'm getting the sense all dirty business (terror training) will be shipped of to Afghanistan from places like Mansehra and PoK. TSP will follow the international community publicly...i.e. if the powers recognise, they will recognise... if they don't then TSP won't.

The impact will be TSPA will come out of FATF and look clean... they'll say all terror planning/training is happening from "ungoverned places".

Iran has close ties with many in Talebs but they aren't trusted.

UAE has approached Turkey for alliance on Afghan file.

Latest summary is:
- TSPA has sent feelers to London and DC on who may recognise the taleban govt. TSPA want to resolve Afg govt issue quickly because there is concern about refugee inflows
- KSA via former intel director Turki al Faisal is re-establishing contacts with Taleban. This is brokered via ISI. Meetings have been held with Mullah Yaqoob (Mullah omar's son) and other seniors. KSA view is better to have a taleb govt who will be more sympathetic vs Iran.
- I'm reminded that Taleban is a coalition of groups that range from anti TSPA, drug gangs, extremists, nationalists, Pro-Pakhtun ethnic groups, pro -TSP backed terror groups like Haqqani Network, former Afg govt officials... PLA is backing one faction, Iran another - particularly those in border districts with Iran... Russia also involved...(rumour has it ISKP was getting $$ from Russians...)... Sorting out and agreeing powersharing between these groups is proving a little difficult. Each person has earned their seat on table... and each country is having their rep on the table via shura council (incl. Iran)..
- Taleban are being asked to repay debts to these nation states like Russia, Iran, TSP, China who supported them over the years.
- UAE cooperating with Turkey/Qatar alliance on Afghanistan...but it's early days.
- Threat of counter coup has largely reduced..

Qatar has been shocked by how different the 'on ground' situation is compared to the promises made in Doha. Qatar, US and others in the region were promised a 'transitional' govt and preparations were seriously underway (hence why the ANA was asked to go slow or withdraw and their C2 had collapsed). The talib mil commanders on the ground ignored all of this and carried on incl. entering Kabul despite all promises by the Talib political leaders not to do so.

It is the military leaders who have the greatest influence over the situation.
Abdul Qayum Zakir (now the defence minister of the Taleb govt. He is the leader of Badri 313 ), Mullah Yaqoob (Mullah Omar's son and leader of the military movement) and Haqqani Network (ISI backed) are the key players in control of the situation. Apparently the military leaders are not cooperating with the political members like Stanekzai and others.

----------------------------
GOI stating that once a permanent govt is formed towards year end, they will talk to that Talib govt..

[chetak]

^ I agree on all points excepts that we don't have leverage over cavemen.

There are choices, we have to make. One of the choices is to do the lip service but no action. It is clear Bharat as well as west, must not invest large sums in Afg. It is the only way, to put some sense into the heads of Napak and cavemen. If both of them are doing something unconventional, absorb the loss but pay back in a brutal way to put the fear of other Gods.

Let's see if external forces support each other or they play against each other.

Time and again, India refuses to appreciate that applying and handling pressure isn't the problem, it is THE solution. Starting with neverwho and his britshit loving colonial gang, we insisted on being "non aligned" and naively thought that the premise by itself would insulate us from global power centers, while also hoping that the so called "non aligned movement" would become an important and recognised power center by itself.

this after India's foolish, disastrous and traitorous game changing refusal to accept the security council seat while conceding the same to the cheeni.

It not only betrayed the country but also displayed a ginormous lack of understanding of the international affairs and of the game being played by the britshits and the amerikis, by a much feted and acknowledged "foreign affairs" guru who did not have India's safety, security and future in his limited tunnel vision or even in his small heart.

self aggrandizement seems to have been the only motive that drove this benighted and illiterate tyrant who became the PM only because gandhy pulled strings and got patel to recuse himself.

So, posthaste, neverwho proceeded to align India with a rabid bunch of dictators, conmen and charlatans in the so called "non aligned movement" and wanted himself to seen as the virgin in the bordello of international affairs and in the comity of nations

We never did fully recover from that fiasco and the reverberations of that failure are being felt even now. It now appears that the virgin in the bordello was particularly gun shy and severely lacked in self confidence.

That, in a nutshell, also describes India's position on the global stage today.

popularity is fleeting but power consolidation and power projection is enduring and it is the hallmark of a serious player, both internally, as well as, externally.

But under Modi, Doval and Jaishankar the first glimmerings of understanding is seeing the light in our international dealings.

With Modi, Doval and Amit shah, the same principle is being to be applied internally.

In both arenas, we have long ways to go.

[sajaym]

Make no mistakes about it, US will try to woo the taliban to keep them away from China. The rehabilitation of taliban at all levels is on its way, IMF funding, Worldbank loans, ADB loans etc. The taliban 2.0 being more pakis than pakis will try to use China against the US, KSA against Qatar , Iran against KSA/UAE, India against Pakistan and so on to get $$. How much they'll succeed is anyone's guess but it does opens up some interesting possibilities.

Totally agree with you. The taliban are playing the same game as their masters.

"we have the right to speak on behalf of the cashmeris and Indian muslims" is the latest statement from the talibani spoki. I see this as a threat and it is their first move in "negiotiations" with India

Very true... because of the below quote from another article on the same topic

The al Qaeda Tuesday congratulated the Taliban for its victory in Afghanistan and called for the “liberation” of Kashmir, Palestine, Maghreb (Northwest Africa) from the “clutches of the enemies of Islam”. It, however, made no explicit mention about East Turkestan or human rights abuses in Xinjiang in China.

They are subtly hinting that if we help them, then they'll keep quite on Kashmir just like they are keeping quite about East Turkestan & China. So yes, you bet our govt & establishment will be quite happy to be "Vasudeva Kutumbakam, we are bum".

Friends make no mistake, the Taliban will turn out to be the biggest 'Mass Blackmailers' in history. They will blackmail the whole world into submission. And what is going on is nothing compared to what will happen when pictures are leaked of Taliban abuses against afghan women, girls & children. Then all hell will break loose and the weak knee-d goras will go overboard in appeasing the bunnies so as to stop them from hurting the afghans. If the pukis were Filmfare Award winners, these talibunnies are going to be Oscar winners!

[ldev]

It is the military leaders who have the greatest influence over the situation.
Abdul Qayum Zakir (now the defence minister of the Taleb govt. He is the leader of Badri 313 ), Mullah Yaqoob (Mullah Omar's son and leader of the military movement) and Haqqani Network (ISI backed) are the key players in control of the situation. Apparently the military leaders are not cooperating with the political members like Stanekzai and others.

----------------------------
GOI stating that once a permanent govt is formed towards year end, they will talk to that Talib govt..

Yep, the military leaders on the ground are calling the shots in Afghanistan, the political leadership appears for now at least to be pushed aside. Qatar was operating via the political leadership based there. Interesting that the so called political leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has not been seen in public at all!! And even in the military coalition there are different factions as you have pointed out. The Chinese are making an entry via Pakistan and the Haqqani Network by promising funding to the Taliban. The China/Pakistan combo is making an independent play for power in Afghanistan. I wonder how the Qatar/Turkey combo will take this power play by China/Pakistan. Looks like Qatar/Turkey will have to be satisfied operating Kabul airport while real control over Kabul and the rest of the country will rest with whichever military faction emerges the strongest with the Haqqani Network being the front runners for now.

[sudarshan]

"we have the right to speak on behalf of the cashmeris and Indian muslims" is the latest statement from the talibani spoki. I see this as a threat and it is their first move in "negiotiations" with India

Then India has the right to consider any Muslims that the Talib speak for, as part of the Talib. Fair enough?

[Aditya_V]

Talk is cheap, I am glad Taliban have not played Taqqiya here

[shyamd]

Yep, the military leaders on the ground are calling the shots in Afghanistan, the political leadership appears for now at least to be pushed aside. Qatar was operating via the political leadership based there. Interesting that the so called political leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has not been seen in public at all!! And even in the military coalition there are different factions as you have pointed out. The Chinese are making an entry via Pakistan and the Haqqani Network by promising funding to the Taliban. The China/Pakistan combo is making an independent play for power in Afghanistan. I wonder how the Qatar/Turkey combo will take this power play by China/Pakistan. Looks like Qatar/Turkey will have to be satisfied operating Kabul airport while real control over Kabul and the rest of the country will rest with whichever military faction emerges the strongest with the Haqqani Network being the front runners for now.

Apparently HQN faction is dominating Kabul (Jalalabad - Kabul axis). Mullah Yaqoob has Kandahar area. Not sure if its psyops but they are saying Yaqoob and Haqqani are not cooperating wrt political settlement. Haqqani wants inclusivity with previous govt but Yaqoob not interested.

[chetak]

"we have the right to speak on behalf of the cashmeris and Indian muslims" is the latest statement from the talibani spoki. I see this as a threat and it is their first move in "negiotiations" with India

Then India has the right to consider any Muslims that the Talib speak for, as part of the Talib. Fair enough?

the pakis are the drivers of this agenda which is now the core of their frantic cashmere strategy.

The pakis have panicked because they are fast running out of water and they are completely boxed in, legally, and internationally they have nil support from anyone.

They are also ring fenced by the treaty itself, by the very terms of the IWT, which they once thought was a massive victory they had pulled off for the paki state.

If they ask for renegotiation of the IWT, they will, at best, get a 50/50 share and not an iota more, which is a precipitous drop from their present share of 80/20.

legally, they don't have a leg to stand on.

And what's more, the cashmere obsessed pakis never saw Modi coming as far as the water was concerned.

so the bajwa- niazi duo are now banking upon the taliban to either bring India to the table or to her knees.

Sadly, some of the non BJP govts in punjab have played very dirty with India by slyly supporting the paki agenda by precipitating and prolonging inter state water disputes with their neighbors to freeze any action by the govt of India and the slippery sardar and his mafia backers have played along in keeping the interstate water disputes on the boil.

[vimal]

What prevents India or anyone from lobbing a bunch of missiles to wipe out all the scums. Afg is a free for all atm nobody cares anymore. All this Casmhmere etc is just a rent seeking behavior that we should not encourage or take this opportunity to bring East Turkmenistan into limelight.

[Vivek K]

India needs to be proactive instead of waiting for IC814 type incidents. This is why the country needs a bigger air force with refuellers. But the MKIs are more than adequate for the task of clearing a path through Puki airspace for the Rafale/M2Ks to attack any target in Afghanistan while the LCAs guard against retaliation from PAF. India retains the right to defend herself against any threat.

[ramana]

So what do the members think about reports of US troops being housed temporarily in Islamabad and Pindi hotels?
The numbers are quite large.
And what are USN carriers doing so close to Krachi?
And how does this all jive with Pakis are winning Afghanistan?
Please rely to all questions.
partial answers not useful.

[chetak]

Talk is cheap, I am glad Taliban have not played Taqqiya here

How do you say that, sirji

the music is yet to begin.

This is merely some members in orchestra tuning up before they start to play. The conductor has still not finished smoking his joint. He will make an appearance when the time is right.

their favorite song is always the same, as are the lyrics (ola u uber) and it has been so for the past many centuries.

And, the name of their favorite song is taqiya..

[ldev]

[
Apparently HQN faction is dominating Kabul (Jalalabad - Kabul axis)......Haqqani wants inclusivity with previous govt but Yaqoob not interested.

Makes sense. Haqqani is pushing the ISI agenda which in turn is seeing Pakistan pushing the Chinese agenda. China wants peace in a unified Afghanistan before they start investing and they want projects to re-start such as the long standing Mes Ayanak copper mine. The Haqqani network which has ISI embedded in it, was already cooperating in hunting down Uyghur supporters in Afghanistan even before the recent turmoil.

Mullah Yaqoob on the other hand is a hardcore Ghizlai Pashtun long at odds with the Tajiks with no interest in accommodating other ethnic groups and not even the Pashtun Durranis in any Taliban Government. Interesting times. Bring out the popcorn.

[Mort Walker]

So what do the members think about reports of US troops being housed temporarily in Islamabad and Pindi hotels?
The numbers are quite large.
And what are USN carriers doing so close to Krachi?
And how does this all jive with Pakis are winning Afghanistan?
Please rely to all questions.
partial answers not useful.

Is this confirmed? Which divisions of the US military or are they contractors for the US military?

[shyamd]

Makes sense. Haqqani is pushing the ISI agenda which in turn is seeing Pakistan pushing the Chinese agenda. China wants peace in a unified Afghanistan before they start investing and they want projects to re-start such as the long standing Mes Ayanak copper mine. The Haqqani network which has ISI embedded in it, was already cooperating in hunting down Uyghur supporters in Afghanistan even before the recent turmoil.

Mullah Yaqoob on the other hand is a hardcore Ghizlai Pashtun long at odds with the Tajiks with no interest in accommodating other ethnic groups and not even the Pashtun Durranis in any Taliban Government. Interesting times. Bring out the popcorn.

There is two sides to the PRC moves... I think they are quite concerned about IMU, ETIM and assorted gangs causing problems for them - I wouldn't say there is complete trust and HQN etc will have to prove themselves. Looks like they prefer there to be someone in charge of the country rather than let it descend into civil war. I feel Russia is pushing Tajik's to get Massoud/Saleh to reach an agreement.

[ArjunPandit]

So what do the members think about reports of US troops being housed temporarily in Islamabad and Pindi hotels?
The numbers are quite large.
And what are USN carriers doing so close to Krachi?
And how does this all jive with Pakis are winning Afghanistan?
Please rely to all questions.
partial answers not useful.

Is this confirmed? Which divisions of the US military or are they contractors for the US military?

Nothing can be confirmed in the land of pure. Even OBL was not there if you ask aam paxi..or he did not plan 9/11...they still have isrealy pilot and they downed a su30 but did not lose a f16

Coming to the questions, my sense is
1. they are trying to save their embassies just in case paxis get carried away
2. pull back agents in danger afterwards..the border even after fencing remains porous and aam paki abduls can be managed with few 1000 dollars or a visa promise..
pakis can claim they have won ..but thats because they have not won on ground ever after 1948 ...they will act oversmart...but what they have inherited is a classic poison pill. America has realized that the better and cheaper way to fight these cavemen is by funding bunnies and different factions without losing their own blood and equipment..with their drones doing ~2000km strikes their need to have a land presence is not justified from a cost perspective to spend 300 million a day. In that cost they can do 5-10 strikes a day. I suspect they will continue black water ops, drone strikes..without even announcing or even fund both sides or even test their systems..also this could be luring the enemy in a trap

[Mort Walker]

^^^These would be US military or contractors billeted in Islamabad or elsewhere in Pakistan. The information will come out from western sources and from US soldiers themselves. Many of these would typically depart Islamabad for Ramstein air base in Germany on military transport, but they may also take commercial chartered flights out. Will have to check FlightRadar24 to look at the activity.

[anishns]

TOIlet reporting:

Afghanistan crisis live updates: 'Taliban capture Panjshir, now in full control of Afghanistan'

[chetak]

[ramana]

TOIlet reporting:

Afghanistan crisis live updates: 'Taliban capture Panjshir, now in full control of Afghanistan'

Not true. It's just pressure on Panjshir resistance.

[ramana]

Somebody should contact TSJ and ask him about Kabul exit.

[vimal]

Someone should remind this jerk JaAk that Taliban does not want to "make" an Islamic country it already has created one along with Pakis.

[g.sarkar]

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/03/10339661 ... resistance
The Afghan Resistance Says Reports Of Its Defeat In Panjshir Are Taliban Propaganda
Scott Neuman, September 3, 2021
band of Afghan resistance fighters holed up in the country's rugged Panjshir province northeast of Kabul have repelled repeated attacks by Taliban fighters in recent days, a representative for the group tells NPR.
Speaking with NPR's All Things Considered on Friday, Ali Nazary, the National Resistance Front's head of foreign relations, who is currently in the U.S., also denied reports that the Taliban have taken control of the province — the last major territory standing between the Islamist militia and total control over Afghanistan — calling the rumors "propaganda."
The Panjshir Valley "has not been breached," he told host Audie Cornish. "The Taliban are facing fierce resistance."
"The Taliban propaganda machine is trying to divert attention, is trying to spread propaganda, to weaken morale in Kabul and elsewhere," said Nazary, who says he's been in close contact with NRF officials in Panjshir.
Nazary's remarks came on a day that saw both the Taliban and the NRF claiming victories and denying defeats. In sharp contrast to Nazary's comments, there were reports of "celebratory gunfire" in Kabul, the Afghan capital, over the Taliban's purported victory in Panjshir.
The NRF, which says it has about 10,000 fighters, is made up of various local militias and former Afghan security force members. It is led by the Western-educated son of legendary mujahedeen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was assassinated in the days leading to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The elder Massoud famously helped fight both the Soviet army and the Taliban to a standstill from his stronghold in the Panjshir Valley, situated in the Hindu Kush mountains. Joining Massoud's opposition is Amrullah Saleh, who was vice president under President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country as the Taliban closed in on the capital last month. In a video posted to social media, Saleh also denied rumors of a defeat. Countering reports that he and Massoud had also fled, the former vice president told his supporters that he is in the Panjshir Valley and that the NRF has "held ground" and will continue to fight.
....
Gautam

[vinod]

Taliban, Pakistan and china have to stamp out all opposition before they can start their next phase. That is why panjshir is important. All efforts will be on to get that sorted as soon as possible. If panjshir survives these attacks now, it leaves scope for India to interfere later on. India's options will go down drastically once panjshir goes down. Any credible opposition or insurgency to bulld up will take time.

Next phase is recognition of Taliban, a Chinese base and a joint operations by pak and China in Northern India. I doubt China will involve in too much governance in afghanistan and will restrict to just military activities and few scraps of aid.

In Afghanistan, nothing remains like that forever.

[nachiket]

The Chinese can get whatever they want from the Taliban as long as they provide hard cash. The Afghan economy was running on free American money which is now cut off. Their forex reserves held outside are frozen. They need Chinese money far more than the Chinese need them. No wonder Zabiullah Mujahid is saying this

"China represents a fundamental and extraordinary opportunity for us because it is ready to invest and rebuild our country," La Repubblica quoted Mujahid as saying.

Mujahid also said that 'One Belt One Road', an infrastructure initiative by China to open trade routes, is "held in high regard by the Taliban." There are "rich copper mines in the country, which, thanks to the Chinese, can be put back into operation and modernised. In addition, China is our pass to markets all over the world," said Mujahid in the interview.

Link

[surinder]

Isn't he the one of the Salim-Javed fame?

Last I checked India is secular but there are 52 countries which are officially not-so. Can he comment on that?

Very bad comparison. India shouldn't be in the same sentence.

India is secular because the Hindus wanted it so unlike those who he is comparing us to.

I wonder if this will get the same attention as Naseeruddin Shah's post got.

[Vayutuvan]

Somebody should contact TSJ and ask him about Kabul exit.

He served in Afghanistan (or was it Iraq?) as an accountant. Marines IIRC.