Taliban Press Conference: "There is a huge difference between us now and 20 years ago"

[speak easy]

The Taliban have held a press conference is in media center used by former government officials, taking questions from both male and female journalists. Their spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said

Government

"We are working seriously on forming the government. It will be announced after completion." "We are all going to make sure that we can include all other sides and factions. "After the government is formed we are going to decide what laws will be presented to the nation"


Unity

"We want to make sure Afghanistan is no longer a battlefield of conflict We have pardoned all those who have fought against us. Animosities have come to an end. "

"We don't want anybody [forced] to leave the country," he adds. There is an amnesty.We have pardoned everybody for the benefit of stability or peace in Afghanistan"


Reprisals

"When asked about contractors and translators who have worked with foreign powers, Zabihullah Mujahid says: "Nobody is going to be treated with revenge The youth who have grown up here, we do not want them to leave. They are our assets."

"Nobody is going to knock on their door and ask them who they have been working for. They are going to be safe. Nobody is going to be interrogated or chased."


Terrorism

"Afghanistan's soil is not going to be used against anybody," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says when asked about the risk of the country housing al-Qaeda fighters. We can assure the international community of that."


Press Freedom

I would like to assure the media that we are committed to the media within our cultural frameworks. Private media can continue to be free and independent.

"You in the media should pay attention to [our] shortcomings so we can serve the nation ... But the media should not work against ... the unity of the nation."


Women's Rights

"[We] are committed to the rights of women under the system of [Islamic law]"

"We do not want to have any problems with the international community"

"We have the right to act according to our religious principles. Other countries have different approaches, rules and regulations... the Afghans have the right to have their own rules and regulations in accordance with our values."

'Women will be allowed to work and study'. "They are going to be working shoulder to shoulder with us. We would like to assure the international community that there will be no discrimination."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-58219963

[JoanofArgh]

1. this is interesting. Let's see if they hold to their word. Maybe power means more to them than

religion.

[ansible]

2. There sure is, they now have a military paid for by billions of dollars of US taxpayer money

[Ninga]

3. Read, bookmarked, and will pray that these statement will be the frame work for an honorable

Afghanistan.

[uponit7771]

4. Watch what they do not what they say

[Thomas Hurt]

5. If true and they stick to these words, then they are to be applauded.

I imagine these freedoms will probably be more restricted than the western world is used to.

[FelineOverlord]

6. if Afghan women "continue to live according to Sharia, we will be happy, they will be happy"

Link to tweet

[wryter2000]

7. I don't know how women are supposed to be happy under Sharia law

If they're right about forgiveness and amnesty, maybe things won't be as horrid as we've feared. I'm not going to take this on their say-so, though.

[andym]

8. One difference is that Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban, has been dead for years

Omar was the inspiration behind the Taliban, creating it in 1994.
His co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar had been in prison in Pakistan for almost a decade before being freed-- perhaps the time in prison provided some perspective.

[speak easy]

9. Mullah Omar's daughter was married to Osama Bin Laden.

It is an open question how much of the previous regime was a reflection Al-Queda values, subsequently assumed in extremis by ISIS. But I doubt Omar required much encouragement to be more repressive.

[honest.abe]

10. It sounds reasonable.

Its possible they have moderated over the years. We shall see.

[PufPuf23]

11. The Taliban said the correct things at their press conference

Words now and actions over time may and likely will be different.

Best hope is that the current situation calms rapidly and everyone that wants to get out, gets out.

Some items, specifically, "[We] are committed to the rights of women under the system of [Islamic law]", are unlikely to be fair to women nor acceptable to the sensibilities of most Americans.

POTUS Biden and the Democratic Party are taking a political hit that likely could not be avoided. IMO this is the product of an immediate failure in intelligence and military planning; TFG's agreement with Taliban; and the whole sorry mess when GWB et al decided to invade rather than have special ops (as happened) address UBL.

Here is TFG's agreement (that I read for the first time today, and did not know existed). Everyone should read this (short).

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Agreement-For-Bringing-Peace-to-Afghanistan-02.29.20.pdf

[speak easy]

13. 'We don't want any problems with the international community'

It was the one thing their spokesman repeated over and over again. They have Iran sitting next door as an example of a sanctioned state.

[Oneironaut]

12. It's all bs.

They’re religious fundamentalists. In a month from now, they’ll go back to arbitrary executions over things like dancing, and they’ll go back to systematically abusing women and girls. All of this “we’ve changed” garbage is just PR.

[speak easy]

14. And so are the Iranians;

religious fundamentalists who grant considerable rights to women and girls.

[lpbk2713]

15. They talk a good game.

But I don't buy it.

[speak easy]

19. They don't want the 1980 sanctions the U.S. imposed on Iran

let alone the current sanctions. Iran is next door. No doubt it is a pretty sobering spectacle.

[sheshe2]

16. I will wait to see how this plays out.

[speak easy]

20. I'll take a small patch of blue sky at the moment.

[sheshe2]

22. I agree ☝️

[relayerbob]

17. Actions will speak far louder than words

We will see. I hope, against all hope, that they are telling the truth. Seems unlikely, but ..... hope

[Solly Mack]

18. We'll see.

Won't be holding my breath though.

Lot of wiggle room in those statements and not for the good.

[speak easy]

21. The Taliban have Iran sitting next door

as an example of what happens if the U.S. is seriously offside.

[BradAllison]

23. Uh huh..... n/m

[MenloParque]

24. Maybe

In the Stan all things are possible. As someone who has lived and fought in the Kandahar region for two years, I’ve seen the supposed good guy Afghan soldiers do horrible, heinous things. I have also witnessed the Bad Taliban provide food and aid to poor villagers. Nothing is what is seems in the Stan, and any media coverage regarding day to day operations is hilariously wrong. So, who the fuck knows.

[Claire Oh Nette]

25. I'd like this in the US...

"You in the media should pay attention to [our] shortcomings so we can serve the nation ... But the media should not work against ... the unity of the nation."

Our media chases ratings. Agreement doesn't create conflict. Conflict drives ratings.

Our media fell apart when the Powers that be decided the news division had to turn a profit, too.


I remain skeptical of sharia law making women happy, but all we can do it wait and see, and sponsor Afghanis.

[CentralMass]

26. Then there are articles about their recent behavior like the one below.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/17/asia/afghanistan-women-taliban-intl-hnk-dst/index.html

[speak easy]

27. And you believe that incident was officially/non officially sanctioned?

[CentralMass]

29. I think that their reputation proceeds itself.

[lagomorph777]

28. Probably 100% bullshit.

Like everything they have ever said.

[Raine]

30. Oh, sure. 🙄 nt

[MoonRiver]

31. Walk the talk Taliban. nuff said