By Javad Pasandideh
During these recent weeks we have been witnessed to some horrible news from Afghanistan about the insulting of human rights, sex slavery trade against Afghan young women and teenagers, beside the suppression of the civilians’ freedoms or the execution of artists, and the renew of a fanatic order in Afghanistan.
In sight of regional affairs, we have been faced with some disorders which have been occurred by Taliban militants towards Iranian borders and also other countries concerns about Taliban invaders near the Central Asian borders that the without the North-Alliance resistances in front of them, can repeat some of the 1990s threats against Tajikistan, Uzbekistan in a new version at this time.
In the present article, I have analyzed the current situation of Afghanistan along with the impacts of Taliban ruling in Afghanistan in respect to other regional countries by referring to a known historical event which has been named: “The Great Game”.
Historical Background:
Due to the historical and cultural conjunctions among the South-Western countries of the Asian continent with their neighbors in the Central Eurasian lands from Russia to Afghanistan and Iran, how is it predicted that these ancient areas will be mingled in a new and coherent Geopolitical collection?!
According to the historical background, we can find several and mutual cases to prove the mentioned subject above during the decades and centuries.
For instance, in respect to the political developments in Central Eurasia and Afghanistan which have been associated with Iran and the Middle Eastern countries, we can answer to our some of the important questions by referring to this phrase:
“The Great Game”
The Geopolitical concept which has been known for the first time by Arthur Conolly, a security officer of Britain who worked for “East India Company”. However some authors have attributed the noticed title to Sir Kipling who was a British official too.
The Great Game has covered the British-Russian political and military competitions from the late of 18th to the agreement of 1907 between two sides to recognize their geographical spheres of influences from Tibet to Afghanistan and Iran.
Therefore, we were able to search for clear communication beside a variety of specific actions by the Russians and British Empire to achieve some of the captivating colonial interests at that time.
Likewise, persuading the countries of these areas to start the different wars or protecting from unstable peace agreements among them just included the Russo-Anglo challenges during the period which lasted more than a century.
So, it is needless to remember that the generations of the superpower governments had tried to follow the former’s route to extend their interference in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iran as areas which could be in their views as the key to transforming them as the lord of all of the world!
The Soviet Union, German Empire, Ottoman Turks, during the first years of 20th century to those events which have been related to the Post-Soviet era after the USSR defeats in its striving to occupy Afghanistan and supporting the Communist government in this Muslim country.
Accordingly, the U.S military attacks to Afghanistan in order to the country plans to battle against terrorism following by 11th September events, can be considered as the most important cases in the first years of the current century.
Today:
By United States departure from Afghanistan by President Joe Biden direct order, Afghan people were faced with an anarchic situation which has led to a new era of Talibanism order in this country.
Afghanistan is experiencing a current phase of chaos under an unstable but also savage leadership by the fundamentalist religious government with fanatic thoughts against the society, women rights and freedom.
Whereas the Afghans have been faced with the mentioned nightmare, the possible threats of Taliban will not end the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Despite the claim by Taliban group to create new versions of cooperation with Afghanistan neighbors and other regional countries, the nature of this terrorist group have indicated that their promises to support the peace they will not a constant word!
Irrespective of these ambiguous issues, Afghanistan neighbors such as Iran, India and some of the Regional countries like Russia by condemning any violent policy against the Afghan nation by Taliban, have accepted their temporary governing over Afghanistan cautiously.
The reported attitude by some governments like Russia has been described the way of preventing from other terrorists like ISIS and Al-Qaeda invasions in Afghanistan or towards the Central Asian borders with this country.
Thus, the Russian Army has held several maneuvers along with the military forces of Tajikistan since the beginning of Taliban domination over Afghanistan.
Hence, Republic Islamic of Iran has attempted to settle stronger security across its eastern borders with Afghanistan through establishing the vast numbers of weapons like Tanks, fighters, artillery and the thousands of border keepers.
Whereas some of the regional countries such as China and Turkey besides their early reaction to oppose the Taliban ruling in Afghanistan, they have declared recently to sign some economic agreements with this terrorist group!
Finally, the policy of a government is obviously different from others, Pakistan leaders alongside recognizing Taliban as the legal government of Afghanistan, also has supported them in battle with the North-alliance of Badakhshan district as a most famous resistant groups in the northern borders of Afghanistan which have been fighting against Taliban, ISIS and other terrorists by Ahmad Masoud and Abdul-Rashid Dustom mutual leadership.
Conclusion:
Overall, despite the fact that in international politics analyzing it is not a principle to consider historical events to predict the present or the future political issues, it cannot be a far-fetched idea that we will be witnessed to a new Great Game which it will be originated from Afghanistan to its coterminous lands in Central Asia and Middle East!
Author: Javad Pasandideh (Eurasian expert and analyst.Tehran-Iran)
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).