President Joe Biden believes that the Taliban is trying to decide whether they want to be viewed as a “legitimate government.”
In an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopolous, Biden was asked, “What happens now in Afghanistan? Do you believe the Taliban have changed?”
“No. I think, let me put it this way, I think they’re going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government. I’m not sure they do,” Biden responded.
Stephanopolous interjected, “They care about their beliefs more?”
The president said, “Well, they do. But they also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that they can make any money and run an economy. They care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about.”
“I’m not counting on any of that but that is part of what I think is going on right now in terms of I’m not sure I would’ve predicted, George, nor would you or anyone else, that when we decided to leave, that they’d provide safe passage for Americans to get out,” Biden added.
Watch the video below:
EXCLUSIVE: @GStephanopoulos: “Do you believe the Taliban have changed?”
— ABC News (@ABC) August 19, 2021
Pres. Biden: “I think they’re going through sort of an existential crisis about do they want to be recognized by the int’l community as being a legitimate government.” https://t.co/zgMVDKleiv pic.twitter.com/Bgxenaydap
According to the Associated Press, Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command and overall commander of U.S. troops in Kabul, negotiated an agreement with the Taliban to allow safe passage of American citizens and allies to the main airport so they can be evacuated.
McKenzie said he “cautioned [the Taliban] against interference in our evacuation, and made it clear to them that any attack would be met with overwhelming force in the defense of our forces.”
As The Hill notes, the Taliban has reportedly “imposed strict restrictions on women, such as confining them at home unless accompanied by a man” in areas under their control.
There have been reports of Taliban forces firing into crowds of protesters, and a woman was also reportedly shot and killed for not wearing a burqa.
The group has said they want to have relations with other countries. It also stated that it would respect women’s rights but within the framework of Islamic law.
The Taliban insisted that women would be able to work and go to school. Additionally, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the group, said women will “will be very active in society but within the framework of Islam.”
As Reuters notes, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001 it “stopped women from working. Girls were not allowed to go to school and women had to wear all-enveloping burqas to go out and then only when accompanied by a male relative.”
