What Taliban is Doing in Iran?
Jake Sullivan, US National Security Adviser in President (Joe) Badin’s administration, who has contacted officials of the Afghan government, has said that the peace agreement signed between President Donald Trump and the Taliban movement in Doha would be re-evaluated. The Iranian regime, which is concerned with what is happening on its eastern borders, has disliked the intention. Its strategy has been to work for removal of the US forces from West Asia, particularly from Afghanistan and Iraq. The Pentagon is now reconsidering the decisions of the Trump administration to reduce the military presence in these two countries.
Tehran has made no secret of its efforts which it has made to persuade Taliban in regards with the peace agreement with the US, signed in Doha, Qatar, on February 29, 2020 as it serves the objective which Iran is trying to achieve legally and under a formal agreement which guarantees the exit of the American forces.
It is Iranian pragmatism which shifted it from a confrontational position to a policy of recognising this (Taliban) movement as an essential component of Afghan political life. Taliban also wanted to have alternatives to play a role in reaching an internal settlement with the government. It gave the opportunity to Tehran to galvanise its efforts. Now it is taking advantage of Taliban’s questioning of US intentions of re-assessing the agreement which was serving the interest of Kabul and was welcomed also by the government of President Ashraf Ghani.
(by Hasan Fahas in Almodon.com)
For Arabs Nothing Changes
After the passage of every four years, Arab newspapers, walls, streets, and (TV and radio) programmes are loaded with thousands of items on just one topic: What is the position of the new US administration regarding the Arab world? For obvious reasons, the same question is never raised after the elections in Britain, France, or Germany. As for Russia and China, their position remains constant and do not change. Therefore, such question is never raised about them.
During all these four years we dictate America what it should do and what not. Some of us boycott it. Some throw its flag on ground and burn it. This is how we complete four years and at the end of it all, we again start analysing the biography of the president, his policies, friendships, biographies of the members of his administration, particularly of the secretary of state and the national security advisor. Based on these analyses, we come to some conclusions.
We do not present ourselves to the world, except as fractured countries which do not have unified positions, have conflicts among their own peoples, have warring sects, weak and poor economies, and have educational systems which is one of the main sources of Arab ignorance.
To make this institution (US administration) understand us and what we want, we must try to improve our own image, not their image.
(by Samir Attallah in Asharq Al Awsat)
Compiled and Translated by Faizul Haque