Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

The Ecstatic Moves

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The Ecstatic Moves

According to a statement issued by president office, Afghan government had asked its US counterparts to hand over control of Bagram prison to the Afghan forces. The demand has come amid all-out efforts to start talks with the Taliban representatives who are said to have stationed in their political office in Qatar. Bagram prison holds the most notorious Taliban leaders and local commanders.

In the very first days following his second controversial win of presidential seat, President Karzai promised he would launch all-out struggles to bring Taliban to the Table to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan. To this end, he initiated certain appeasement policies that led to no more than defying militants.

Forming a peace consultative forum and the more recent Ground Council, president Karzai tried to mark this long-awaited achievement. But it never came true as far as his government initiatives are concerned. Instead, the US government with some of her non-Afghan partners launched the peace process to help bring an end to their decade-long, exhausting fight in Afghanistan.

The move comes amid signs of tensions between Karzai and his US backers over plans by Taliban insurgents to open a political office in Qatar as a precursor to possible peace talks. Karzai is reportedly concerned that he has been sidelined by the move -- announced this week -- and insists that any negotiations should be led by his government.

Few weeks ago, the news on opening Taliban's political office in Qatar was broadcast by western media, not Afghan government or its ineffective High Peace Council. So far, President Karzai administration has followed the news broadcast on foreign media, rather than playing an active role in the preparatory steps to begin negotiations.

A statement from President Karzai's office said he issued instructions to a commission consisting of the ministers of defense, interior and justice, as well as other top government and judicial officials, 'to complete their job regarding the handing over of the (Bagram) prison and other prisoners who are held by foreign forces.' 'The work should be completed within a month,' it said.

The U.S.-led NATO coalition is gradually handing over responsibility for security to the Afghan police and army. The process is due to be completed in 2014, when most foreign troops are scheduled to be withdrawn from Afghanistan. Karzai's demands are the most recent in a series of exercises in political brinksmanship by the president, as he tries to bolster his negotiating position ahead of renewed talks for a Strategic Partnership Document with America that will determine the U.S. role in Afghanistan after 2014.

Among the conditions that Karzai has set is an end to night raids by international troops and complete Afghan control over detainees. Although Karzai routinely plays to anti-American sentiment in Afghanistan by denouncing the U.S., he needs America's military and financial strength to back his weak government as it battles the Taliban insurgency.

Following president Karzai's order, the United States said Thursday the transfer of a US military prison to Afghan control should be handled in a "responsible" way. "We have been working... for some time with the Afghan government on appropriate timing and pace for transfer of the detention facilities" at Bagram, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "We need to do this in a manner that is maximally responsible. That's what we want to do. And we're going to... keep working on it," she added.

Going to mark a new phase in building peace in Afghanistan, the US and its Afghan partners seems overjoyed over the would-be-held peace talks in Qatar. To reach this stage, they have offered generous incentives to the fugitive taliban group who were, since the very first years following their ouster from power, expected to regain power by full supports they receive from their regional and international supporters and government sponsors.

To ensure further steps in peace talks with the Taliban, the US and Afghan government has begun paving the red carpet for welcoming them. President Karzai's Loya Jirga called upon Afghan and US governments to free captivated top level Taliban leaders. The recommendation is going to be realized soon by the recent pacifying trends getting stronger in Afghanistan and US decision making circles.

President Barack Obama's administration is mulling over transferring or releasing some of the very notorious Taliban leaders from Guantanamo Bay Prison. With very serious warnings about over-appeasements in relations with Taliban fighters, Obama seems enough serious to mark a win in peace building process in Afghanistan to overcome challenges in US presidential elections set to be held this year.

The concern is found widespread both in Afghanistan and in the US state bodies. The Reuters reported on Saturday that some US senators are trying to find legal means to stop transfer of five Taliban top detainees. "Critics of a possible transfer of Taliban prisoners are discussing tactics to block it, even before the Obama administration appears to have made a final decision on the most politically contentious element of its bid to broker an Afghan peace deal", the source said.

Notwithstanding, Afghan government seems more excited than its US partner. President Karzai government has insisted to assume Taliban enmity to Afghan government, citizens and the world community less serious than it is now.

He has frequently called them his upset brothers who are misled by foreign ill-minded elements. His inability to distinguish friends and enemies is commonly demonstrated in his speeches and practices. Confident about his government's inability to tackle the situation aptly in absence of US and Coalition forces, he is insisting to take control of Bagram prison to compensate what his fact finding delegation calls violence of human rights against Taliban prisoners by US forces.

He is not only asking for takeover of all US-controlled prisons, but his administration and the daydreamers in the so called High Peace Council has previously freed some well-known Taliban figures who then demonstrated their inflexible terrorist nature by violent attacks on Afghan civilians and security forces. An example of how Taliban prisoners will resume terrorist activities if freed from prison camps was represented by the atrocious slaughter of innocent civilians in Urozgan in 2010.

Afghan officials have asserted that the request to take over control of Bagram prison earlier than it was set previously is aimed at accelerating peace talks with Taliban. However, experts have seriously warned that Afghan government can't independently handle the things unless there is continued support from coalition and NATO forces.

To over-excitedly make a move on to conciliate Taliban will prove counterproductive. Instead, there should be some realistic options to further alleviate tensions and facilitate a promising future. Increasing national forces' ability, reality-based and gradual submission of the mission to afghan government and further replacement of military activities with the civil development projects can ease the way.

Overconfidence on president Karzai government's ability to deal with militants, run prison camps and involve Taliban in government authorities will certainly endanger current achievements. Following that, a premature withdrawal of the US forces will facilitate return of a Talibanized system of governance.

It is very likely when they are given exemption and enjoys domestic and international supports to resume promoting their fanatic ideology. Rise of a civil war is also feared following full withdrawal of NATO forces with Taliban maneuvering around pretentiously.

Nasrudding Hemati is the permanent writer of Daily Outlook Afghanistan and Writes on National and International issues. He can be reached through mail@outlookafghanistan.com

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