Washington-Taliban peace: Europe warns against being stabbed in the back

Magdy Abdel Rasoul

The peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban has opened many political doors for the Afghan movement and its political future at the international level. After the movement’s elements were pursued internationally on charges of terrorism, Washington has become the main element in forcing its allies to recognize the Taliban. So will Europe accept dealing with the Taliban, which it has described as terrorist just a few hours before the Doha peace agreement?

On the ground, recognition of the Taliban as a party or political movement that takes over the affairs of its country and speaks on its behalf domestically and internationally needs new Afghan and US pressure cards. Will Europe accept dealing with the movement by concluding political, security and commercial agreements and deals?

The beginning was the acceptance by the US negotiator of the movement’s elements and his recognition of the movement as speaking on behalf of the Afghan people despite the presence of a legitimate elected government represented by President Ashraf Ghani, as the Taliban forced the US occupiers to sit at the negotiating table.

The US negotiator was not only a spokesman for Washington, but he also represented the European camp in the US-led coalition fighting terrorism, as the latter announced its retreat from former President George W. Bush’s war on terrorism in 2001.

US amnesty for Taliban

European recognition of the Afghan movement began with the announcement by a number of European countries of the movement’s leaders who were imprisoned, in accordance with the US pressure on its friends and allies in the West.

US diplomacy is intensifying its communication with Western leaders to lift the restrictions it previously imposed on Taliban leaders after the movement became a voice for the Afghan people. The Taliban officially represents 47% of the Afghan population, while those sympathetic to it are nearly 23%.

European capitals bless peace agreement

Several European countries congratulated the United States on the success of reaching a peace agreement with the Taliban. The BBC, which is close to decision makers in London, described the US peace agreement with the Taliban as “historic”, adding that reaching a formula of peace between Washington and the Taliban came after arduous and exhausting efforts, ending more than 20 years of violence between the two parties.

The French government also blessed the peace agreement. French newspapers reported that the Taliban has now started a new phase and shifted from dealing in arms to dealing in political dialogue.

Meanwhile, Moscow had demanded its foreign officials to create a climate for the Taliban to succeed in implementing the agreement, in a clear reference to President Ashraf Ghani, who is loyal to American policy and whom Washington considers an irreplaceable man. The results of the agreement indicate that it is time to exchange the tools of political action within the country that had claimed the lives of thousands of Americans, as well as thousands of others injured.