US-Afghanistan Ties Seen as Key to Reintegration as 5 More Years Threaten Girls
Updated
Updated · The National · Aug 14
US-Afghanistan Ties Seen as Key to Reintegration as 5 More Years Threaten Girls
3 articles · Updated · The National · Aug 14
Summary
Zalmay Khalilzad said stronger US-Afghanistan ties are essential if Afghanistan is to rejoin the international community after years of isolation under Taliban rule.
Taliban restrictions on women and girls—especially bans on education—remain the main barrier to diplomatic engagement, with activist Yalda Royan warning another five years could erase a generation's memory of women's public participation.
US policy is also constrained by domestic political divisions over the chaotic 2021 withdrawal, complicating any coherent approach to Kabul.
The push for engagement comes as the Taliban seek to end isolation and have shown some competence in infrastructure, agriculture and regional diplomacy, while recently inviting Washington to reopen its embassy and invest.
Could Bagram Airfield transform from a military base into a booming hub for Taliban-US commercial diplomacy?
As Russia embraces Kabul, can Washington afford to ignore the Taliban's lucrative offer of mineral wealth and infrastructure investment?
Five Years Under Taliban Rule: Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Collapse, International Isolation, and the Urgent Push for U.S. Engagement
Overview
Five years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan faces deepening humanitarian and economic crises driven by international isolation, aid cuts, and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries. The Taliban’s severe restrictions on women and girls, especially the ban on education, have blocked international recognition and aid, worsening child malnutrition and poverty. As public discontent rises, the Taliban urgently seeks U.S. engagement and foreign investment, particularly in mining, but faces tough sanctions and legal risks. Meanwhile, internal divisions and harsh social controls persist, leaving ordinary Afghans trapped between economic desperation and oppressive rule.