5/25/2023 0 Comments White house flickr![]() After 18 years of war, US acceptance of the Taliban as a legitimate representative of Afghan society runs contrary to its most basic objective. Some Afghan officials fear a peace plan would effectively lead to complete takeover by the Taliban, as the Afghan army can’t stand up to the Taliban on its own. The US needs Pakistan’s assistance to broker a deal with the Taliban.Ībdul Salam Zaeef, senior official of the Afghan Taliban and former envoy to Pakistan, in Doha last month during talks wiht US officials (Photo: Karim Jaafar via Getty) The calculation appears simple, at least for Trump. While most attention since has focused on the Kashmir question, Trump’s change of policy on Pakistan is linked directly to resolving another of the region’s longstanding conflicts, the Afghan peace process. Trump’s latest turnabout has quickly translated into action, with the US State Department already approving a US$125 million support program for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets. ![]() ![]() At the beginning of 2018, Trump had abruptly and loudly announced the suspension of military aid to Pakistan, claiming in a tweet that “they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools”. The warm handshakes and friendly banter illustrated what is actually a remarkable shift in the Trump administration’s policy towards Pakistan. During the meeting, Trump hinted at resuming aid to Pakistan, as well as making a broader and surprising offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the perennial dispute over Kashmir. Last month’s Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump was Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first US visit since taking office in August last year.
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