Taliban making the right noises but still early to believe

The scenes at Kabul airport in Afghanistan are heartbreaking, scores of people cling to the sides of a taxiing aircraft, some even allegedly falling to their deaths after it takes off.

People desperate to flee what they suppose might be the vengeance of the conquering Taliban. They are right to have that fear.

Many Afghanis who worked for the American and British military as interpreters or drivers have already been executed, according to reports. The Taliban is an organisation not known for its moderate approach to anything.

Women, used to 20 years of comparative freedom since the Taliban was originally beaten back, are now reconciling themselves to the organisation’s medieval approach to gender rights.

Yet, at the same time, there have been suggestions that this Taliban has toned down its extremism in a bid
to be accepted by the rest of the world.

So far, the pronouncements made by its leadership have been measured and there is an expressed commitment that the movement will form an inclusive government with other political and social entities in the war-ravaged country.

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That change of stance may have been the result of pressure from some of its backers and advisors in
the Middle East, who believe the hardline jihadist approach of the Taliban will have alienated many moderate potential friends in the Islamic world.

It would be far too soon, however, to believe that as violent a leopard as the Taliban could change its spots overnight.

This is an organisation, after all, which operates along a “Death to the West” guiding principle … and could once again turn Afghanistan in a safe haven for international terror groups.

However, the new moderate tone is encouraging and a moderate Taliban pursuing an all-inclusive agenda could change the geopolitical complexion of this region in Asia in a permanent, and positive manner.