America’s Changing Policy on Afghanistan — The Diplomat

Since the haphazard and hasty withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, Washington has not recognized the Taliban – or any other group – as the legitimate government in Afghanistan. Washington asserts that it advocates for an inclusive government that respects human rights, including those of women and minorities. Since August 31, 2021, the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan has suspended its operations, and the Afghanistan Affairs Unit (AAU) in Qatar serves as the U.S. diplomatic mission for Afghanistan. Despite this, there have been selective contacts between U.S. officials and the Taliban over the past five years, primarily concerning counterterrorism, the release of prisoners, and the evacuation of U.S. citizens from Afghanistan. The United States claims that it maintains contact with the Taliban only for specific cases. Ambassador Gregory D. LoGerfo, the U.S. State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, said last week that “with respect to the Taliban, we engage them selectively when it’s in the U.S. interest with respect to very discrete security issues.” In response, the Taliban’s ambassador to Doha, Suhail Shaheen, told TOLOnews that “Afghanistan no longer poses a threat to any country,” and that the Taliban government has “worked to combat destabilizing groups.” Shaheen added, “As is clear to everyone, our country needs reconstruction, economic development, and cooperation in various sectors. Therefore,…