The Taliban’s decision to launch a terrorist attack in response to the announcement of a near-term U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan should give the Trump administration pause, contends former assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy, warning of a “pre-9/11” mindset behind the talks.
McCarthy, who prosecuted the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case, pointed out that what the U.S. government terms “peace” talks is regarded by the Taliban as surrender.
“They are attacking because they want Afghans to believe they are driving the superpower out in humiliating defeat, just as their mujahideen forebearers drove out the Red Army, hastening the Soviet empire’s collapse,” he wrote for National Review.
McCarthy noted the Taliban insists it be referred to by the Trump administration as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. That was the name of the Taliban regime that imposed Islamic law, or Shariah, on the country from 1996 through late 2001.
During that time, the Taliban gave al-Qaida a safe haven to carry out attacks, culminating in 9/11.
The latest terrorist attack, McCarthy said, should be a reminder that the Taliban still fights shoulder-to-shoulder with al-Qaida to kill Americans.
“When our troops vacate Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate will be reestablished, the U.S.-backed government will be dismantled, Afghans who allied with the United States will be purged, and al-Qaeda will set up shop again,” he warned.
“It will enjoy a status similar to that of Hezbollah in Lebanon: a quasi-government armed force whose main focus is the global jihad.”
And, in spite of all its effort, America will remain the main target.
“In 2019,” McCarthy concluded, “you can declare you’re in a pre-9/11 world. Just like you can declare a war is over because you got tired of fighting. Just like you can declare the aviation precautions are overkill because you’d like them to be. Doesn’t make it so.”
