These 3 general licenses allow international financial transactions with the Taliban Government and the Haqqani Network. The stated purpose is to facilitate international aid. But why 3 “general” licenses? What exact types of transactions are allowed? Why separate licenses to the Taliban Government and the Haqqani network? Do they have one or two governments? And are US tax dollars going to either of these entities?
Treasury authorizes working with Taliban to facilitate aid to Afghanistan
Because like it or not, the Taliban is the government of Afghanistan, and responsible for feeding and medically caring for their people.
Also, I suspect that YOU of all people understand the role of Haqqani.
I like Michael McCaul, and I understand his reluctance to this aid. But our hands are sort of tied on this one. I will bet dollars to dog nuts that whatever aid we send, a lot of it won’t go to the people who need it.
So far the Taliban has lied about how they would govern. And IMHO it will not take long before national leaders will simply say FU.
And it is their responsibility. We aren’t there anymore, Joe cut and run. Don’t like it, but it is what it is. Not our problem now, And before someone says what about the poor people and children, if that really was an issue that mattered we shouldn’t have cut and run like we did. You can’t have it both ways.
Come spring the Taliban and the Haqqani will be at each other’s throats.
Why? What in actuality is preventing us from helping the government from feeding it’s people?
Pride? Hubris? Petulance?
Wars are bad. Propping up terrorist regimes is also bad. You won’t actually be helping, just virtue signaling. The Taliban and Haqqani will steal anything that makes it to the country. And a good chunk will be stolen before it even reaches their hands. Our current leadership put this situation in place. It can’t be fixed and it can’t be made better by throwing more money at it.
I wonder how strong the Haggani really is against the Taliban. I have not heard a lot about this. If you have any info it would be appreciated. As of now, I am not seeing any challengers to the Taliban rule.
The Haqqani are out of Pakistan, the primary tribe of their membership is actually Pakistani and located in the Pakistani Tribal Region just over the border. They control Kabul. An Afghan tribal faction controls Kandahar. These tribes historically fight each other, only really working together when there are infidels to kill. The infidels are gone, the Afghan v Pakistan tribal tensions are already surfacing. Spring campaign season should be interesting.
Thanks for that. I am in the process of learning more about what is going on over there.
The Haqqani uprising is interesting. I think that most of the American folks are not aware of how and where these factions are controlling various sections. Did you serve over there? I am asking because you are very aware of what is going on over there.
I was Army CI when I served. Had significant familiarization with North African, Middle Eastern and Central Asian Islamist movements. My final year was with ARCENT forward in KUWAIT. I retired, then two of my kids enlisted. One served off Africa and in the Gulf. The other did a year in Afghanistan with the 2d Cav. I’m trained in intelligence collection and analysis. I had multiple SAP access to multi agency all source intelligence, most of which I will never be able to talk about with anyone. Between leaks in the press, foreign press reports and such, I am able to see the connections and players from my active duty days to today.
Disagree. Taliban wants legitimacy, and you can’t have that ruling a realm of corpses.
A cut will be taken for sure, but I do believe the Taliban will feed their people.
The Taliban elements strong enough to hang onto the portion they seize will keep it for their tribal faction. A huge chunk of the population will get nothing and probably 10s of thousands, or more, will starve or freeze.
And while that tripe about the Taliban seeking legitimacy has been repeated ad nauseam by the administration, their legitimacy comes from their weapons and the fact that they are in control of the country. Now face reality.
Still disagree. I suppose only time will tell, but it is in the Taliban’s interest to keep people alive.
What you are suggesting is a howling wilderness of death, which is a vacuum.
And we all know what happens to vacuums.
It is a vacuum now. You have a main faction in Kabul, another in Kandahar, several minor factions and a Shiite minority backed by Iran and all of the folks trapped there who were aligned with the old government. The Pakistani ISI backs the Haqqani. The large element of the Taliban from Afghan tribes back Mullah Omar’s son in Kandahar. That son doesn’t want the Taliban members who were in Doha to have any power because they were living the soft life while the real Holy Warriors were fighting the infidels. Because Joe left them with about 10 years worth of small arms and ammunition all hell is going to break loose. And there is nothing to do about it because Joe left a vacuum there.
Trump negotiated our total withdrawal.
Allan
Now and forever. A-Stan is one ■■■■■■ up country.
Just like Somalia.
Allan
Execution is 99% of an operation. Joe didn’t take it serious. He didn’t care what was going to happen to that country. And he created a vacuum. He didn’t have intent, he just didn’t care beyond a chance for a photo op and the chance to brag. There have probably been a couple thousand killed in reprisals already. Now 10s of thousands more are going to die and the country will sink into civil war between the so called victors.
It would have been a vacuum no matter what.
Us moves out means someone’s gotta to move in.
We and we alone were propping up the govt of Afghanistan with money and people.
So when that is withdrawn, what happens?
I am sure you can guess.
Allan
“Joe left a vaccum”. You are usually so astute in your analysis, yet you just can’t help taking these cheap partisan shots.
You, me, Trump, and the American people all wanted out of Afghanistan. If Joe owns it, we all own it. Stop with this nonsense.
Regardless, I will make you a bet: a year from now, it will turn out that 1)-The Taliban remains in power, and 2)-somebody will have saved the Afghans from famine. Probably the U.S., Pakistan, or the international community. Most likely, some sort of combination of all three.
Bookmark the page, I’ll bet you a pizza.
