{"id":996291,"date":"2021-11-10T21:43:49","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T02:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=996291"},"modified":"2021-11-10T21:43:54","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T02:43:54","slug":"biden-considers-road-map-for-normalizing-relations-with-taliban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-considers-road-map-for-normalizing-relations-with-taliban\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Considers \u2018Road Map\u2019 for Normalizing Relations with Taliban"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-considers-road-map-for-normalizing-relations-with-taliban%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=996291&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\"><span>In a phone conference with reporters on Monday, U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan Thomas West said the Biden administration is considering a \u201croadmap\u201d to normalizing relations with the Taliban regime. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The vague roadmap West spoke of included some requirements the Taliban seems to have little interest in meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>West mentioned the roadmap to normalization in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/online-press-briefing-with-special-representative-for-afghanistan-thomas-west\/\"><span>response<\/span><\/a><span> to a reporter\u2019s question about what \u201cleverage\u201d the U.S. has to make the Taliban \u201cform an inclusive government for Afghanistan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>West\u2019s response indicated the U.S. and its allies are using \u201cnormalization,\u201d and its attendant benefits, as an incentive for the Taliban to liberalize:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"11\">\n<p><span>The Taliban have voiced very clearly and openly their desire to normalize relations with the international community; to see a resumption in aid; to see a return of the international diplomatic community to Kabul; to see sanctions relief.&nbsp; And the United States can deliver none of these things on our own, and we have to work together with the international community in order to see those things about.&nbsp; But that\u2019s not an insignificant give and take, and again, we just want to first consult with our likeminded allies on exactly what the roadmap looks like.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>\u201cI think allies are going to continue to play a heavy role in Afghanistan, and Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and non-NATO, but the EU has I think heavy interests in Afghanistan as well,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd so we will all engage forthrightly and in a clear-eyed manner with the Taliban and with shared interests and objectives.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<div id=\"attachment_18686434\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"32\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Thomas-West.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18686434\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Thomas-West.jpg\" alt=\"Thomas West, pictured, posted this photo cropped by Breitbart News on Twitter November 8, 2021, with the caption, &quot;An honor to be in Brussels today to consult with Allies and the EU on the way forward in Afghanistan. Visited @NATO HQ\u2019s 9\/11 memorial and recalled Allies\u2019 historic invocation of Article V.&quot; (@US4AfghanPeace\/Twitter)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas West\/@US4AfghanPeace\/Twitter<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>West laid out some specific goals for the Taliban to meet:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"15\">\n<p><span>We all want to see human rights, minority rights, and the rights of women and girls \u2013 including access to education at all levels throughout the country \u2013 respected, assured, and delivered upon. Statements are not enough.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>We want to see steps taken to form an inclusive and representative government, and that\u2019s a point I think is especially shared by many regional powers as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span>The Taliban\u2019s \u201cIslamic Emirate of Afghanistan\u201d has thus far shown little interest in meeting any of those goals. The Islamic extremists talked a good game about treating women better than the pre-2001 Taliban regime, and its promises were met with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2021\/08\/17\/unicef-optimistic-taliban-girls-school\/\"><span>over-the-top enthusiasm<\/span><\/a><span> from humanitarian agencies, but, in practice, Taliban 2.0 has been only a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/world\/afghanistan-taliban-women-school-1.6219358\"><span>little less repressive<\/span><\/a><span> than Taliban 1.0 was.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Taliban is still <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/minority-hazara-population-face-persecution-under-taliban-rule-afghanistan-again-n1281160\"><span>persecuting<\/span><\/a><span> religious and ethnic minorities, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kobi5.com\/news\/top-stories\/taliban-preach-gentler-approach-amid-violence-oppression-168910\/\"><span>abusing and killing<\/span><\/a><span> citizens who violate its strict interpretation of Islamic law, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2021\/09\/27\/taliban-puts-corpses-on-public-display-to-alert-criminals-they-are-not-safe\/\"><span>hanging<\/span><\/a><span> people in public squares without much in the way of a legal process. Genocide appears to be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/opinions\/2021\/10\/27\/why-the-hazara-people-fear-genocide-in-afghanistan\"><span>back on the table<\/span><\/a><span> for the much-abused Hazara minority.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As for \u201cinclusive government,\u201d the Taliban has made a point of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/08\/taliban-appoints-dozens-of-governors-across-afghanistan\/\"><span>appointing<\/span><\/a><span> no one but male members of the extremist group and its terrorist Haqqani wing to high office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Contrary to West\u2019s declaration, statements <\/span><span>have <\/span><span>been enough to win some important concessions for the Taliban. Afghanistan\u2019s rulers have effectively taken their own population hostage, leaving the international community with little choice but working with Taliban officials to deliver humanitarian assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<div id=\"attachment_17652234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"37\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Afghan.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17652234\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Afghan.jpeg\" alt=\"Internally displaced Afghan families, who fled from Kunduz and Takhar province due to battles between Taliban and Afghan security forces, collect food in Kabul on August 9, 2021. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR \/ AFP) (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR\/AFP via Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Internally displaced Afghan families, who fled from Kunduz and Takhar province due to battles between Taliban and Afghan security forces, collect food in Kabul on August 9, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>In October, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/story\/2021\/10\/1102722\"><span>conceded<\/span><\/a><span> that resolving Afghanistan\u2019s humanitarian crisis would be impossible if the Taliban\u2019s economy collapses, and the consequences of such a disaster would be dire for the region and the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout food, without jobs, without their rights protected, we will see more and more Afghans fleeing their homes in search of a better life. The flow of illicit drugs, criminal and terrorist networks will also likely increase,\u201d Guterres warned.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>The U.S., EU, U.N., and NATO are rhetorically struggling to distinguish between cooperation, normalization, and recognition while the Taliban make very concrete threats to destabilize Central Asia, flood the West with refugees, give safe haven to terrorists, abandon millions to starvation and sickness, and perhaps even exterminate a few minority communities.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The U.N. took a shot at reclaiming some leverage on Wednesday by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/test-un-skirts-taliban-pay-afghan-health-workers-2021-11-10\/\"><span>announcing<\/span><\/a><span> it was able to pay about $8 million in salaries to 23,500 health workers in Afghanistan while bypassing the Taliban and its \u201chealth ministry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>One of the major humanitarian concerns in Afghanistan has been that paying staffers and buying local goods to feed, shelter, and medicate the impoverished population would be impossible without Taliban cooperation. As Guterres indicated in his October remarks, it is difficult for humanitarian agencies to spend money in Afghanistan if the economy is completely shut down and the banks collapse.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p><span>The U.N. said on Wednesday it was able to reactivate a suspended World Bank program to pay $8 million in salaries and $7 million for supplies, and it found ways to get the funding directly to health workers in most of Afghanistan\u2019s 34 provinces without the Taliban touching it. U.N. officials feared Afghan health workers might begin fleeing across the border if a means of paying their salaries and supplying their operations was not found.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17754058\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"37\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Kabul-3.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-17754058\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Kabul-3.jpeg\" alt=\"A medical official wearing a Personal Protective equipment (PPE) suit takes a swab sample from a members of the Loya jirga (grand assembly of Afghan elders) to test for the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Kabul Polytechnic University, in Kabul on August 5, 2020. (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR \/ AFP) (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR\/AFP via Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A medical official wearing a personal protective equipment suit takes a swab sample from a member of the Loya jirga (grand assembly of Afghan elders) to test for the coronavirus at Kabul Polytechnic University, in Kabul, on August 5, 2020. (Wakil Kohsar\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>West is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.news.yahoo.com\/us-special-envoy-afghanistan-meet-080522711.html\"><span>scheduled<\/span><\/a><span> to visit Pakistan this week for meetings with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as well as diplomats from Russia and China, which have not placed any humanitarian or liberalization demands on the Taliban in exchange for normalization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>China and Pakistan, on the other hand, declined to attend a regional conference on Afghanistan hosted by U.S. ally India on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that his regime welcomes these regional conferences and believes the results will be favorable to the Islamic Emirate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe have no worries, the meetings will be for Afghanistan\u2019s benefit because the entire region believes that the security of Afghanistan is for the benefit of all,\u201d said Mujahid.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a phone conference with reporters on Monday, U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan Thomas West said the Biden administration is considering a \u201croadmap\u201d to normalizing relations with the Taliban regime. &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-996291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/996291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=996291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/996291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=996291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=996291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=996291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}