Ignoring the Taliban won’t end their reign of terror
Spectator (UK)AUG 2024
Afghanistan's Taliban Make First Official Visit to Japan
Above: Taliban representatives from Afghanistan at the COP29 Climate Conference on Nov. 19, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The Taliban are an extremist terror force that continues to commit human rights violations, particularly against Afghan women. The regime has banned secondary and higher education for girls, and imposed strict restrictions on women's dress codes and employment opportunities. These actions contradict international standards and raise concerns about the genuine nature of their outreach. Other world leaders should not risk normalizing such violations by engaging with Taliban representatives diplomatically.
Narrative B
While the oppression being administered at the hands of the Taliban government is doubtless abhorrent, ignoring the terror will do nothing to resolve things for innocent Afghans. Amid an intense humanitarian crisis and ongoing suppression of rights, the rest of the world has a responsibility to foster relations with the current administrative representatives in order to influence attitudes towards female emancipation and secure further humanitarian aid. Turning Afghanistan into a pariah state would only punish its people and heighten international security risks.