The Taliban in Turkey--Again
In previous threads on this subject, a number of Ricochet members expressed the view that Americans just don't want to reflect overmuch on the idea of negotiating with the Taliban and what that really means. Give the Turkish press, at least, credit for willingness to make contact with reality.
Here's a column by Semih Idiz that the American punditocracy (and the State Department) might wish to think about.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s chief foreign policy advisor İbrahim Kalın confirmed last week that talks are underway for the Afghan Taliban to open a political office in Istanbul. There appears to even be a candidate to head the office. The name being bandied around is the Taliban’s former governor of Herat province, Mullah Hairullah Hairhva, who is said to currently be in U.S. captivity in Guantanamo, where he apparently has been since 2002.
Yes, take that last sentence in, folks. I presume this means either that we've locked up a peace-loving, harmless aspiring diplomat in Guantanamo since 2002--and you know, I doubt that, but if it's true, it might be cause for some national reflection--or that we think it would be a terrific idea to take a guy we've had in Guantanamo since 2002 for an excellent reason and dispatch him to Istanbul to run the Taliban's new digs in Turkey. Surely I can't be the only one thinking, "This is not the proudest moment in US strategic thinking?"
Idiz, with admirable restraint, summarizes his concerns thus:
An office for the Taliban in Turkey – and Istanbul is mentioned as the place where it will be opened – appears not to be such a great idea at first glance from a Turkish perspective. We are after all talking about a group that has used terror tactics in the name of Jihad against the women, children and the elderly of Afghanistan.
No argument from me. He goes on to note why it's not a great idea at second, third or fourth glance, either, and every argument he makes is waterproof.
American foreign-policy apparatus: I know it's a busy time for you, and I know you've got a lot on your minds, but could you please make a moment to think half-rationally about this?
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
Gee I wonder if they're planning some kind of "virtual office" that can be run from a cell phone ?
So many of these diplomats seem like they're calling it in anyway. Is there a tradition of long lunches and endless seminars in the diplomatic community there in Istanbul ?
One question about the moniker: Mullah Hairullah sounds alot like Highroller... maybe he is a peace-loving, harmless ,aspiring rapper ?
Sep '10
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
New slogan:
"Taliban: Its just a czar in the desert."
Jan '11
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
"This is not the proudest moment in US strategic thinking?"
Ah, post Marshall Plan, can you think of a proud moment in US strategic thinking?
Just asking...
Mar '11
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
American foreign policy apparatus? Who would that be?? Samantha Power???
I hear the White House West Wing have Al Jazeera on all their TV's (CNN is too right-wing), so no doubt they are on top the problem. Nothing to worry about, Claire, it's all going according to plan...
The Taliban are also in London - it's like there is some worldwide movement, or something?
Edited on Apr 19, 2011 at 10:56amDec '10
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
Har! flownover said, "cell phone"!
Mar '11
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
Well, is there any coverage of foreign affairs in our media? Better to getting something from Al Jazeera than nothing at all. Just sayin'.
Jul '10
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
The only negotiations we should have with the Taliban are over how many pieces Omar and Bin Laden are in upon delivery. At least then the U.S. could plausibly argue that it got what it wanted.
Barring that, we have zip to negotiate with these thugs. Whether the military leaves or not there's no convincing the Taliban to be "responsible players" or whatever the preferred newspeak is these days.
Maybe the U.S. should withdraw -though I don't think so- but pretending that a negotiated power-sharing arrangement will be honored by the Taliban is farcical.
Aug '10
Re: The Taliban in Turkey--Again
Claire, I agree with you, but could you point to any foreign policy decision of the past 20 years and say that it was among the proudest moments in U.S. strategic thinking? And what makes you think that anyone in the American foreign policy apparatus has thought half-rationally about anything important during the same period? Today's New York Times tells us that these same busy foreign and defense policy folks are talking about permanent bases in Afghanistan. What a great idea! It's worked so well for us in Saudi Arabia. Even if we were to chase Al Qaeda out of Afghanistan, so what? They still have Pakistan. And Yemen and Somalia and plenty of other places. Rather than waste hundreds of American lives trying to defeat the Taliban, let's admit that most of the differences between the Karzai regime and the Taliban are nuances of bestial repression. Let's instead make it clear that if Afghanistan ever again becomes a staging post for violence against the U.S. we will turn the place into a parking lot, and then leave them to live happily ever after.