As per latest reports, Afghan troops are still engaged with Taliban to take back the prize city – Kundoz. Even if Taliban are thrown out of Kundoz, they have proved they are very much on the ground. They have disproved the rumors of split amongst their ranks. They are mentally and physically united to repeat the dark days of 90s. Why do we stand at ground-zero when the US/NATO countries have spent over $50 billion on Afghanistan since 2001, got stationed thousands of war-trained soldiers, gathered world-class intelligence agencies? Then why is all this happening? We need to blame only ourselves because it’s we who differentiate between good and bad Taliban, it’s we who engage in peace dialogue with so-called ‘good’ Taliban and then wonder why Kundoz has fallen. All the countries in the region need to be honest with themselves — supporting this or that ‘good’ terrorist group wishfully thinking of being spared by ‘bad’ terrorists is what’s emerging in Afghanistan.
But as terrorists don’t believe in borders and boundaries; therefore, if it is Kundoz today, tomorrow it could be Kabul, and then it may be Peshawar or Quetta. Pakistan will achieve none of its Zarb-e-Azb Operation’s long-term goals until support for Afghan Taliban is severed with no ifs or buts.
Need to remind milking snakes that will bite only neighbours is a bad and unworkable idea.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia