What to expect as Taliban joins third UN-held talks on Afghanistan in Qatar
Al JazeeraJUL 1 2024
First UN-Sponsored Talks on Afghanistan With Taliban Conclude in Qatar
Image copyright: Nava Jamshidi/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
To hold talks in Afghanistan that don't take into account the Taliban's uniquely egregious disregard for human rights is laughable. The concerns of women and other minority groups were completely sidelined from the discussions, even though the isolation of the Taliban is due to their callous disregard for them. It's shocking that the UN would placate this monstrous regime and give them an ounce of legitimacy in Doha.
Establishment-critical narrative
Progress occurs somewhere between idealism and realism, and it's too easy to pontificate about the Taliban without making any effort to engage with them. While the world is greatly concerned about the status of women in Afghanistan, the West must treat the Taliban as any other de facto government if they want to see change. Politics is a game of give-and-take, and the world must meet the regime on their terms as political actors.