West needs to accept the Taliban rules Afghanistan, says former UK defence chief

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In the BBC panoramic episode tonight ‘Afghanistan: A Country at Breaking Point’, General Sir David Richards said the West must accept the fact that the Taliban is “Now the Afghan Government”.

He said: “The fact is, they defeat us. And we must make peace with the uncomfortable facts. They are now the Afghan government. They are responsible for 40 million strange people “.

Sir David, who led the British troops in Afghanistan before becoming the Chief of Defense Staff, said there were elements in the Taliban that Britain could face.

He said: “I think the West will finally recognize the Taliban government. If that’s the problem, then we should continue it faster, faster than later. There is a good expression to be generous in victory. I think this is an opportunity for us to be generous in defeat “.

General calls for the recognition of the Taliban came because Afghanistan faced humanitarian disasters. Eight million people are considered at risk of starvation, including one million children. The Afghan economy has collapsed since the Taliban regained control over the country six months ago.

Some of those who are now responsible for the country are still classified by the US as terrorists and sanctions against them have stopped almost all foreign investments. The international community also froze around $ 10 billion in Afghan assets.

Former UN official Sir Mark Lowcock told Panorama that while no one wanted to support the Taliban, something had to change.

He said: “The problem with sanctions is whether the people you harm are the people you want to like, and that’s the difficulty of what is happening in Afghanistan today. The world does have to find out what kind of way to get involved with the Taliban. But whatever solutions to that question, it is impossible for collective punishment, to starve, from a population of 40 million .

In the program, Panorama Reporter John Simpson also spoke to a minister in the old Afghan government who had continued to work with the new leaders of the country.

Nazir Kabiri, who is now the Deputy Minister of Finance in the Taliban government, said he remained at the post to try to prevent humanitarian disasters.