How the Taliban Came to Power, Whose Responsibility It Is To Stop Them
by Francine Dash
August 2021
The Taliban is a religious militant group, founded by Sunni Muslim Pashtuns in the province of Kandahār, in south central Afghanistan. (Some believe that they were actually formed in Pakistan.)
A Pashto word (the language of the people in that region) meaning “students”, “Taliban” or the Taliban originally were financially supported by many groups, with reports suggesting that the United States was among them. They were seen as bringing order after the Soviets left the area, leaving behind warring factions and various warlords all fighting each other for control of the country.
“It's not just that they're [the Taliban] a savage, barbaric bunch of Islamic extremists that appeared out of thin air. There were, you know, very specific reasons that led to their creation and their emergence,“ said Wazmah Osman, associate professor of Globalization and Development, in a recent interview.
“And that had to do with - after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, there was a power vacuum, and then you had the civil war. And I was there during the civil war, and the situation was extremely violent. And people were getting kidnapped and raped, and all the different jihadi warlords that the U.S. had backed were, you know, vying for power.”
On record, the Soviets withdrew in 1989, (after invading in 1979); and in 1994, the Taliban was chosen to serve as guard to a trade convoy. This led to them not only successfully clearing and securing a major trade route, from Pakistan to Central Asia, but it also led to Pakistan providing weapons, military training, and financial support to the group. Soon, the Taliban, once seen as heros, gained control over several Afghan cities, including Kabul in 1996.
But things began to take a turn in 1996, when Osama Bin Laden moved to Sudan and eventually, to Afghanistan, where he joined forces with the Taliban and its top leader at that time, Mullah Mohammed Omar, seeking a place to host training camps and a group from which to recruit people to join his movement.
Learning of this, in 1999, the United Nations’ Security Council reached out to leaders in the region, including the Taliban, asking them to cut ties with bin Laden. But those requests were ignored.
It wasn’t until after the airplanes flew into the World Trade Center's twin towers in 2001 (9/11) that Pakistan responded, saying that they supported the United States’ efforts to go after bin Laden and subsequently, any al Qaeda friendly Taliban members; but that was seen as an empty gesture due to accusations that Pakistan was allowing members from both al Qaeda and the Taliban to seek refuge inside their borders.
Recent reports from Afghanistan state that this Taliban is different from the one twenty years ago; and this Taliban even invites women to be a part of their new government. But some on the ground are not so sure that this will hold, due to the harsh treatment of women by the Taliban in the past; and are afraid of losing all of the progress made by women, since American forces arrived.
“I think the international community has a responsibility to step up. They have the power to force the cease-fire and negotiate with the Taliban,” said Osman.
But President Biden believes that after almost a 2 trillion dollar investment in the stability and security of Afghanistan for the last twenty years that the United States has done enough, and it’s time for the Afghan government and military to step up and restore order in its own country.
“We went to Afghanistan in 2001 to root out al Qaeda, to prevent future terrorist attacks against the United States planned from Afghanistan. Our objective was clear. The cause was just. Our NATO Allies and partners rallied beside us. And I supported that military action, along with an overwhelming majority of the members of Congress.”
Since that time, the United States has been fighting against the forces that American officials believed to be behind 9/11, which led to a twenty year occupation. Now, American forces are finally coming home, taking thousands of Afghans with them, and leaving behind a nation that appears to be no more prepared than what it was in 2001 to defend itself.
“While we will not stay involved in Afghanistan militarily, our diplomatic and humanitarian work will continue.” said President Biden through a statement from the White House.
The United States is and will be providing some air strikes and ground support at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan; but there will be no backup on the streets. After more than 20 years of military support, the destiny of peace in Afghanistan, for now, rests in the hands of its people.