These days, one of the controversial topics in the media, both opposing and supporting the caretaker government of Afghanistan, is Trump’s silence and his evasion regarding questions about Afghanistan. Many television and social media outlets have reflected on this issue.
Nazira Karimi, an Afghan media activist and journalist living abroad, recently attended a gathering of journalists at the White House who were questioning Donald Trump about his actions following his election victory, and she asked him several questions about Afghanistan.
Ms. Karimi took the microphone and asked the President-elect of the United States: “Do you have a plan to change the situation in Afghanistan? Are you willing to recognize the Taliban? What is your opinion about Afghanistan? Do you have a plan for the future of Afghan women?”
But Trump hears these questions, yet pretends not to understand and gives a response that is far from what Ms. Karimi and the opponents of the caretaker government of Afghanistan expected. They hoped Trump would stand firmly against the caretaker government, defend the former republic, speak about Afghan women, and express what is in their hearts.
However, with a simple response, Trump turns all the opponents’ hopes into disappointment. He tells the Afghan journalist, “You have a beautiful accent, but I don’t understand what you’re saying,” and refuses to answer. Meanwhile, Ms. Karimi says, “I’m sure he understood my words.”
Trump knows well that a harsh and forceful reaction to the caretaker government of Afghanistan is futile; because they have already tried the path of force and failed. They attacked with all their military might and even brought the ruling government in Afghanistan along with them, but they did not succeed.
America occupied Afghanistan for twenty years, but in the end, without any achievements and leaving behind billions of dollars worth of military equipment, it left Afghanistan shamefully. This is what prevents Trump from reacting violently to the caretaker government of Afghanistan.
Trump knows very well what the consequences of bullying and intimidation against Afghanistan will be. He knows that those who defeated the superpower of the world with simple motorcycles and all its modern equipment will now, with access to the entire country and all its equipment, do what they will.
Trump knows that these were once the Taliban group, but now they hold the Afghan government and have also won the nation over. Therefore, in response to the Afghan journalist’s question, he refrains from a blunt and harsh reaction against the caretaker government.
The elected President of the United States has spoken elsewhere about retrieving the remaining American military equipment in Afghanistan. His silence towards the Afghan journalist could be a prelude to achieving this request. He wants to first show his leniency towards the caretaker government and then pursue the retrieval of his country’s military equipment.
But aside from all this, Afghanistan is now a military power in the world; both in terms of the weapons left behind by the overthrown government and its foreign supporters, and in terms of its development in various fields. All of these can play a role in Trump’s silence and evasion.
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