Written by: Mahdi Sohrabi
In recent weeks, the visit of a high-ranking U.S. delegation to Kabul, led by Adam Boehler, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, accompanied by Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghan peace, has stirred wide discussions and reactions on social media.
The opposition to Afghanistan’s government, through a propaganda campaign, attempted to portray this visit as harmful to the Afghan people; a ridiculous claim that this analysis seeks to disprove.
First of all, it should be noted that this delegation, in separate meetings with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister, and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, discussed various issues including prisoner exchange, bilateral relations, investment, and the overall situation of Afghanistan.
On the surface, the visit was merely a routine step in the process of diplomatic dialogue. Yet, the harsh reaction of the government’s opponents revealed that they perceived these meetings as a direct threat to their interests and standing.
The fundamental question now is: why did the exiled opposition and the political figures of the fallen republic panic so greatly over a simple diplomatic dialogue and seize on it as a pretext for disparagement?
From the official statements of the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, it is clear that the core of the discussions revolved around prisoner exchanges and exploring opportunities for cooperation in economic and political fields. These talks demonstrated that even the United States, with all its arrogance, is compelled to accept Afghanistan’s new reality and engage with it.
The presence of Zalmay Khalilzad in this delegation was particularly painful for the opposition, as his appearance in Afghanistan served as a reminder of the downfall of a regime that, for twenty years, thrived under the shadow of foreigners, but collapsed in mere days once the U.S. withdrew, shattering all their dreams.
Undoubtedly, such visits will have deep and positive effects for Afghanistan and its government, while dealing heavy blows to the opposition. These engagements pave the way for the gradual legitimization of Afghanistan’s government in the international arena, while simultaneously dismantling the false narrative of the opposition, which for years tried to depict Afghanistan as isolated and its government as unapproachable.
Among the key elements of this visit was also the issue of prisoner exchanges, which carries special importance. The opposition tries to turn this into a propaganda tool, presenting it as evidence of Afghanistan’s weakness. But the truth is that prisoner exchanges are a recognized instrument of global diplomacy. Far from indicating weakness, they reflect an equal standing of both parties at the negotiating table.
In a nutshell, the visit of the U.S. delegation to Kabul, contrary to the negative propaganda of the opposition, is not a sign of Afghanistan’s weakness. Rather, it marks the beginning of a new phase of international engagement, one that introduces Afghanistan as an independent actor; a country that, in a short span of time, has managed to draw the attention of the world’s major powers. This development represents an important step toward global legitimacy and the strengthening of Afghanistan’s political standing.
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