afghanistan has been a battleground for over three decades.In continuation of this anarchy, a terrorist attack took place in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan on Saturday, 28 January. CNN has reported that over a 100 are killed. The Afghan government has pinned the blame on the deadly Haqqani Faction of the Taliban. The Haqqani faction is headed by Jalaluddin Haqqani who has close ties with the Pakistan ISI. Japan Times has reported that U.S. President Donald Trump called for “decisive action” against the Taliban.
Pakistan duplicity
The Americans have for long been aware of the duplicity of Pakistan but previous presidents chose to ignore it, hoping that the Pak regime will see reason.
At the back of their mind was the fact that Pakistan was an ally for over six decades against Communism and the Soviet Union. Donald Trump is the first president to openly castigate Pakistan for duplicity and supporting the Haqqani faction of the Taliban. He has suspended military aid, but he will have to think hard as to what to do next as the Taliban and Pakistan supported Haqqani faction are continuing their murderous game.
The attack
The attack on Saturday, in what is supposed to be secure area points to the deadly reach of the Taliban.Initially, the US think tank was soft on the Taliban as it was their own creation and concentrated on attacking only the ISIS. This was a fallacious policy and the US president Trump recognized it when he lambasted Pakistan for duplicity and treachery.
After Trump's diatribe, it was expected that Pakistan will rein in the Haqqani faction to give the peace process a chance. This has not happened and in the new year, a number of deadly attacks have heralded a new offensive by the Taliban.
Hotel attack
Just a week back the Taliban had stormed the Intercontinental Hotel in the capital and 40 were killed.
They have now driven an ambulance into the heart of a busy market center in Kabul and over a 100 are killed. The ease with which the Taliban can attack and enter any part of Afghanistan as well as the capital Kabul will worry the US.
Future
The US president and his military commanders have now realized that no victory in Afghanistan is possible without neutralizing Pakistan.
Trump has recognized the problem. This was evident nearly two years back when Mike Mullen the then Chief of Staff had pointed out that the Haqqani faction was an arm of the Pakistan army ISI. Trump will now have to think what to do in this volatile area. No result or a successful conclusion is possible without neutralizing the Pak army. Reminds one of Vietnam where the failure to bring North Vietnam to its knees resulted in defeat in South Vietnam.
