The United States has fought Taliban directly for over two
decades after 9/11, viewing them as terrorist allies of al-Qaeda. This includes
the US led NATO invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to topple the Taliban regime.
Interestingly, Russia has not fought Taliban directly but
has a history of conflicts in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion
(1979–1989), where the US and others supported the Mujahideen, some of these
are now termed Taliban).
Russia sees Taliban as part of the post-Soviet regional
security dynamic, not necessarily as a direct enemy.
Most interesting is the US perspective because it considers Taliban
a threats to US homeland and allies. The history shows that Afghans/ Taliban
never attacked the United States. It is also said that Osama bin Laden was a
Saudi, which supported Mujahideen in averting the USSR attack on Afghanistan to
get access to the warm waters.
The US, which never wanted to leave Afghanistan believes
that Taliban rule could once again turn the country into a safe haven for
global jihadis like al-Qaeda or ISIS-K. Some analysts openly say that be it al-Qaeda
or ISIS-K, these are ‘B’ teams of CIA.
The prime focus of Russia is more on Central Asian stability
and drug trafficking from Afghanistan. Russia fears spillover of extremism into
its southern borders but engages pragmatically with Taliban to keep its influence
in the region.
Both the US and Russia are keen in engaging with Taliban.
The US was initially hostile, but later engaged diplomatically, courtesy Doha
talks, culminating in the 2020 US-Taliban agreement. After the 2021 withdrawal,
the US maintains non-recognition and economic sanctions, demanding women
rights, inclusivity, and action against terrorism.
As against, Russia has hosted Taliban delegations for talks
in Moscow and calls for inclusive governance but does not condition engagement
as strictly as the US. Russia did not officially recognize the Taliban either,
but it was more flexible in diplomacy.
Strategic
Interests
The US claims, to that many do not agree, that the super
power is busy in global fight against terrorism and avoids getting entangled
again in the Afghan conflict. Since withdrawal of troops the US has kept
Taliban under pressure through sanctions and diplomatic isolation, including
freezing foreign exchange reserves of Afghanistan.
The prime Russian interest is, ending US hegemony in the
region. It also wants to protect its interests in Central Asia (Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). On top of all Russia seems to be keen in
developing regional alliances that include Taliban as a reality, not a pariah.
Over the decades, the United States has maintained its
hegemony through regional alliances, working closely under the NATO umbrella. The
US policy towards Taliban is part of a broader Western approach tied to liberal
values and counterterrorism.
Realizing its limitations Russia works closely with China,
Iran, Central Asian republics. It often coordinates with anti-Western powers
and is less constrained by democratic or human rights norms.
To get control over countries two of the world’s largest
super powers, the United States as well as Russia have often used arsenal power.
As against this China has used diplomacy and economic assistance to establish its
influence.
During the election campaign Donald Trump had promised to
pull the United States out of wars, but his unconditional support to Israeli genocide
in Gaza and direct attacks on Iran prove he is also the tout of military
complexes and would never like to end wars where the United States is involved
directly or indirectly.
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