Beside hidden US and the Afghanistan Taliban engagement in Doha from the last two years, the first ever direct encounter of a high powered US team with Taliban officials in Kabul seems to be initiatives of another round of politico-strategical battling going on in the region since early 70’s.
The new multiple faced US-Afghan relationships might have bothered Islamabad political and military establishment towards new engagement in Kabul but the outcomes or purposes might be against its ambitions, which is forcing Taliban to toe its lines on both internal and external issues especially Durand Line and Kabul’s links with India. It was the first ever open direct talk between Washington and Kabul since August 15th 2021, when the latter fell into hands of Taliban in accordance with Doha Qatar agreement.
The day-long but highly secret visit of the US team headed by Ambassador Adam Boehlar concluded with release and air lifting of George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic to the United States via Qatar Doha. The meeting at Kabul is the outcome of the highest level contacts between the two countries mediated by no other than Qatar, UAE since the empowering of Donald Trump on January 20th 2025 last. Besides others, the famous Zalmay Khalilzad was part of the delegation. War times events since the 1970s reveals that whenever Zalmay Khalilzad appears on media and diplomatic fora’s, it leads to changes and reshuffling in Afghanistan.
Similarly with the return of Donald Trump into power after a break of four years, the hostilities between Washington and Moscow are also melting
Though the United States has been working on Afghan fronts since completion of Afghanistan’s second Presidential Polls in 2009 without Pakistan but the Thursday engaging Kabul seems much more ironic for the high ups at Rawalpindi-Islamabad looking after changes, reshuffling, violence, terror, internal rifts and hostilities amongst perks and power thirsty self styled amirs, leaders, generals and chieftains on west side of infamous Durand Line since a long. It is crystal clear that compared to the 60’s and 70’s when the US was healing the wounds of Vietnam defeat, the present day situation is totally different. Earlier US lead allies had depended on all of its strategies and intentions in Pakistan’s immediate neighbouring country of Afghanistan which was under influence of the now disintegrated USSR. Now Pakistan has no role in Afghanistan due to its flopped policies. Similarly with the return of Donald Trump into US power corridors after a break of four years, the hostilities between Washington and Moscow are also melting.
Prior to the release of Mr. Glezmann, after taking over from Donald Trump in January, two other Americans Ryan Corbett and William Wallace Mckenty were released from Afghanistan in exchange for an Afghan imprisoned in Kabul. The Afghan national Khan Muhammad was a lifetime convicted on drug trafficking charges and considered financer of Taliban during war on terror. The US Secretary of State’s Marco Rubio says, “Glezmann’s release was also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan.”
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry on its X page added the deal showed, “Afghanistan’s readiness to genuinely engage all sides, particularly the United States of America, on the basis of mutual respect and interests.” Similar scenes are intentions of the US high ups who visited Kabul along with their facilitators from Qatar have time and again thanked Taliban officials for ordering release of Mr. Glezmann.
Donald Trump’s changing ideas towards one time for the Russian Federation and Emirate Islami Afghanistan would pose both positive and negative impacts on global politics
No one can deny the fact that US President Donald Trump’s changing ideas towards one time for the Russian Federation and Emirate Islami Afghanistan would pose both positive and negative impacts on global politics, especially the Asian Region where the US is still working on multiple options for strengthening its influence. Earlier Pakistan remained compulsion of United States for tackling one-time considered bigger threats of Socialists and Communist ideologies. And now apparently US muscling to combat Chinese economic growth and influencing of world trade markets. Previous couple of decades strategic-diplomatic episodes are very clear where Chinese avoiding confrontations and preferring policies of reconciliations, dialogues and even give and takes.
Issue of Pakistan is quite different as its effective military establishment still following Bhutto-Zia inherited strategic depth policies. Pakistan’s relations with almost neighbouring countries are lacking trust and sincerity. Both India and Afghanistan have already been declared as “enemies” whereas Iran is on the list of GRAY neighbours. Due to long association and partnership with US lead allies, China is also lacking trust in Pakistan. Almost all think tanks in the United States and its allies are considering religious extremism and terrorist a serious threat to global peace. All are clear that religious terrorism and extremism has deep roots in border regions of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Zalmay Khalilzad is known for his secret extensions and designs therefore his brief but surprising tour to Kabul is generating stock of questions.
