U.S. Holds "Diplomatic" Meeting With Taliban

By 

Logan Sekulow

|
October 11, 2021

5 min read

Foreign Policy

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A U.S. delegation met with terrorist organization, the Taliban, in Doha, Qatar, over the weekend for the first time since the Biden Administration’s failed Afghanistan withdrawal. These officials conducted “diplomatic” talks over how to handle future terrorism and make sure the Taliban will hold up their end of the bargain.

State Department spokesman Ned Price described how the meeting went:

The discussions were candid and professional with the U.S. delegation reiterating that the Taliban will be judged on its actions, not only its words. The U.S. delegation focused on security and terrorism concerns and safe passage for U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals and our Afghan partners, as well as on human rights, including the meaningful participation of women and girls in all aspects of Afghan society.

The Taliban’s actions have already shown us all we need to know. At the ACLJ, we have created a brand-new documentary series about President Biden’s failed Afghanistan withdrawal and the mistakes that were made at the end of the 20-year war, including key insights from key political and policy experts – from both sides of the political divide. This documentary is filled with experts who have tremendous insight and experience with this situation. The new ACLJ Film documentary “Revenge of the Taliban” will be released in the upcoming weeks. For more information, visit aclj.org/taliban.

In a clip from our new series, Congressman Mike Waltz, who was the first Green Beret elected to Congress and who actually fought in Afghanistan, explained how he feels about the Biden Administration referring to the Taliban as a diplomat:

The Taliban haven’t changed. The only thing that has changed is that they have tuned up their propaganda program, and they are dealing with the same Administration that they got their five top draft picks out of Guantanamo for Bergdahl. Let me tell you something, I’ve seen principals of schools – of girls' schools – run out of town and their families murdered when they’ve tried to make a stand. I’ve seen girls’ schools machine gunned with the girls still in the schools. One of my interpreters was stopped at a Taliban checkpoint and had documentation on him. They took him home and beheaded him along with members of his family to send a message. . . .

I know this is all harsh and graphic, but these are brutal, brutal Islamic extremist thugs. And we have now not only handed them the powers of a state with a central bank and currency, and a functioning airport to send terrorists anywhere around the world. . . . We allowed billions of dollars of American equipment that future American soldiers are going to have to fight with when we have to go back to deal with this problem. It is unconscionable and it's unforgivable.

Former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard also joined us in our video series. During the time we were coordinating to interview her, she was on the ground serving in Africa on a mission against Al-Qaeda. Rep. Gabbard explained what Americans should know about terror threats worldwide:

What we need to know is the truth, which is that this Islamist jihadist threat that is posed to us, the American people, our country, coming from terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS – they are very much alive and well and thriving. This is something we need to keep an eye on in Afghanistan and be prepared to go in very quickly and immediately to try to eliminate these groups should they start to grow... or get a strong hold there. . . . This is not just an issue related to Afghanistan. . . . You hear a lot of talking heads on TV talking solely about Afghanistan as it relates to this terrorist jihadist threat. But in reality, we’ve got to look at how and where this threat is posed to us around the world. I just got back from an active-duty tour and a deployment to the Horn of Africa, and we see how these Islamist/terrorist groups and their affiliated groups . . . and other groups in West Africa . . .  who are very strong, who are growing, and who are very active.

So, the threat is still there and still happening. Our very own ACLJ Senior Counsel for Global Affairs and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has experience dealing with the Taliban. He gave his insight in our documentary into if it’s a realistic goal to create a diplomatic relationship with the Taliban:

No, this is still the same Taliban that harbored Osama bin Laden and caused all kinds of challenges for the United States of America. They are still playing footsie with Al-Qaeda. They have not turned a new leaf. . . . The thing they understood was power, and the thing they understood was the resolve of someone to push back against them. That was the only thing that could shape their behavior; it wasn’t some kind word or some demarche that we issued to them.

We do not want the American people to forget this moment in history. This series is a testament to the scope of the ACLJ. There are members inside and outside of the ACLJ with very different experiences to give insight into this situation. Go to aclj.org/taliban and fill out the basic form to be the first to know about this new series.

Today’s full Sekulow broadcast is complete with even more analysis of the United States' meeting with the Taliban and information on our new video series. 

Watch the full broadcast below.