The Present Taliban Victory: The sudden withdrawal of the Americans and the victory of the Taliban has shocked all. Yes, all knew the Americans were tired of the Afghans like the Russians were but nobody ever thought that Americans would ever do this to the Afghan people. They should have gradually departed by training and putting the Afghan army in control in every step. Unless planned, as indicated by the Taliban leader’s welcome in Beijing, it possibly would not have been expected even by the Taliban leaders themselves. If the cause was the infiltration of the disguised Taliban fighters in their army ranks that made the Americans helpless and thus determined to go back, then what were their secret agencies doing? Yes, that helplessness may explain the lack of fight but not the sudden US withdrawal. Like the fear of mutiny under Netaji Bose that made the British flee India, was it the fear of mutiny in the Afghan army that made the American fee? If not suppressed, the future will tell us. For now, let us see how other countries feel. Russia: Factually, despite spending so much money and effort, Russia wasn’t able to utilize the juices from Afghanistan, and back home it still has its own Muslim problem now. But this time when the Western capitalists fled; almost tracing ‘enemy’s enemy is my friend’ but even more so the deep hurt of humiliation earlier, the Russians have come up with a large grin saying ‘we told you so’ – despite, of course, the fearful Islamic threat to their country. Pakistan: Despite having an industry of Taliban production, not minding their deaths on use, and yet brilliantly playing the victim card to enhance the coffers of the elite who have land plots in the West, Pakistan has always played well. Now when it found enemy’s enemy is my friend in an ambitious China – on its right, and tracing ‘money speaks and it speaks much louder in a capitalist country especially when democrats are involved, this enemy of India was having best of times. And when winning the race against Trump by any means was the motto as if they were Christian missionaries and that also meant double whammy of cash and minority votes democrats could not refuse Pakistan’s offer. Having had the chosen guy in the Whitehouse, who surprisingly needs aid to speak, even China joined in the glee of Pakistan. Almost leading us to the question ‘Is democracy really worthwhile’, the un-oppressed Americans electing a person like Biden or even a very much ridiculed Trump and preferring the right to keep arms despite the loss of many innocent lives is a puzzle. As if it was a precious commodity, this article adds even more puzzles. Although the sudden withdrawal of the US, the leaving of arms and ammunitions without destruction by the fleeing Afghan army, the fight-less victory of the Taliban, the punishments and the resulting chaos at the airport may all seem sudden and ghastly, they all seem to be planned and expected too. The heightened show may have significance. Its because, while almost tracing a picture tells 1000 words, a picture of a little Syrian boy’s dead body on a sea sore, reminiscent of the Napalm bomb burnt fleeing Vietnam girl’s picture that triggered an American withdrawal, was enough to change the demography of Europe, with Arab Islamic nations giving a no and UAE’s humanitarian grounds working only on the head of state, these images could easily be designed to bring a second wave to the land of plenty. In addition, even the Arab frustrated Islam wanting non Arab alliance of Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey saying no to their brethren Muslims refugees could also be seen as aiming at the success of the second wave. For Pakistan, it was more. Its effort in the US had worked. It was not only a buy one country get another free – that too so easily without much bloodshed - it had the new government that had Islam written all over the place - if not the new flag alone. While this was its goal when it decided to make a non-Arab alliance with Turkey and Malaysia, with even Turkey saying no to the Afghan refugees - which it would see as traitors of Islam anyway- Pakistan would get this new country without any immigrant burden in its borders to worry about. If Europe wanted to take more that was exactly what was designed. Pakistan also had the joy of seeing, not only its arch-enemy but an enemy that had stopped palm oil export from Malaysia and industries in Turkey helplessly crying like a baby. This joy of Pakistan that is replacing English with Mandarin as the language of opportunity language may not last long though. It’s one thing to industrially produce Taliban to export to Afghanistan and Kashmir and yet play the victim card and ask for money, it is quite another to have a Taliban that holds both political and a much larger ammunition power. Remember, when permission to carry arms was added to the stupidity of few Indian maharajas and a few brilliant guys in London, the businessmen in the East India Company metamorphosed and ruled the subcontinent! Victory certainly enhances ambition and the Taliban isn’t any different. Also remember that almost like the fleeing Afghans, the elite of Pakistan who just play with the Muslim sentiment as the non-practising Jinnah did, are West loving moderates - if not ex- Muslims. They can either turn religious or they should stop playing with fire for the Taliban could be much more powerful now. China:  Apart from the recognition of Taiwan, China never liked the US making many surrounding countries gang up against

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The Taliban’s victory

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