Afghanistan is now experiencing the pain of American withdrawal. The Taliban have unleashed a reign of terror in the areas they control and launched large-scale military offensives that threaten large population centres. A catastrophic humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding and the people of Afghanistan are paying lip service to distant New York.
A negotiated peace agreement is touted as the best way forward. A pact with the devil is highly recommended. The United Nations Security Council met on August 6, 2021, and, through its representatives, heard the pained voices of the Afghan people. Deborah Lyons, the special envoy to the secretary-general and head of the UN relief mission in Afghanistan, said the country was at a dangerous turning point.
"Ahead of us lies an authentic peace negotiation or a series of tragically intertwined crises: an increasingly brutal conflict, combined with an acute humanitarian situation and increasing human rights violations." Shahrazad Akbar, chairman of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said: “The ongoing storm of atrocities has claimed human lives and spreads terror and insecurity, further suppressing the possibility of peace.
Members called on the Taliban to end their military offensive, pursue a peace process and advocated a negotiated political solution that must be “owned and owned by the Afghans”, at the Doha talks planned for August. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said the Taliban were seeking "the lion's share of power". The ongoing military offensive is clearly pursuing this goal.