Civic Register
| 9.8.21
Taliban Announces Gov't Including U.S.-Designated Terrorists, 4 of ‘Taliban 5’ Released From Guantanamo Bay
How do you feel about the Taliban’s new government for Afghanistan?
What’s the story?
- The Taliban announced on Tuesday the names of individuals who will serve in leadership positions within the Taliban’s government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which will follow the edicts of sharia law.
- A formal ceremony is likely to occur in the coming days, potentially on the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks ― which were planned by al Qaeda in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s safe harbor. The Taliban has invited Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, Qatar, and Turkey to attend the inauguration of its new government.
- The Taliban’s leadership list includes multiple U.S.-designated terrorists, four of the “Taliban Five” who were released in 2014 from Guantanamo Bay by the Obama administration in a prisoner swap for Bowe Bergdahl (who later pleaded guilty to deserting his Army unit in Afghanistan), and several of the Taliban’s lead negotiators in peace talks prior to their defeat of the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
- Following the announcement, the BBC asked the Taliban why no women were given leadership posts in the new government and were told the cabinet wasn’t finalized. The announcement comes as the Taliban has beaten female protesters calling for an inclusive society, and fired warning shots to disperse protests in Kabul and elsewhere.
Who is in the Taliban’s government?
- Emir: Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, who was an early member of the Taliban and was a close advisor to the late supreme leader Mullah Omar, who rejected requests to turn over Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. One of his sons, with Akhundzada's approval, conducted a suicide attack on an Afghan military base in 2017. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al Qaeda, has sworn allegiance to past Taliban leaders and most recently renewed that pledge when Akhundzada assumed leadership of the Taliban.
- Head of State: Mullah Hassan Akhund, who was also an early member of the Taliban and close advisor to Mullah Omar. During the Taliban’s previous reign over Afghanistan, Akhund allegedly supervised the March 2001 destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, a pair of Buddha statues made in central Afghanistan in the 6th century that were a UNESCO World Heritage Site prior to their destruction. Akhund has been on the United Nations sanctions list since 2001.
- First Deputy: Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban with Mullah Omar who was imprisoned from 2010 to 2018 in Pakistan, where he was released at the urging of the Trump administration amid its peace talks with the Taliban.
- Minister of Interior: Sirajuddin Haqqani, a specially designated global terrorist and one of the FBI’s most wanted terrorists with a $10 million reward for information directly leading to his arrest. He is reportedly a senior leader of the Haqqani network, a U.S.-designated terror group, and has close ties to the Taliban and al Qaeda. He is wanted for a 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul that killed six people, and also reportedly participated in attacks against U.S. and coalition forces.
- Minister of Defense: Mullah Yaqoub, the son of Taliban founder and late supreme leader Mullah Omar. Yaqoub recently honored Taliban suicide bombers in a video that blamed the U.S. for the 9/11 terror attacks.
- Minister for Information and Culture: Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah, who was arrested in 2002 during the U.S. response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and held at Guantanamo Bay as an alleged close associate of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden until his 2014 release as one of the “Taliban Five.” He has been a lead negotiator for the Taliban and has reportedly played a leading role in the group’s strategy to regain control of Afghanistan.
- Chief of Army Staff: Mohammad Fazl, who was one of the “Taliban Five” and a frontline commander for the Taliban, serving as the group’s deputy defense minister. He is accused of playing a key role in several massacres and summary executions of Afghan civilians in the 1999 to 2001 period.
- Director of Intelligence: Abdul Haq Wasiq, one of the “Taliban Five” who had facilitated the Taliban’s alliances with fundamentalist groups along with intelligence training and other support between al Qaeda and the Taliban.
- Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs: Mullah Noorullah Noori, one of the “Taliban Five” who had fought with al Qaeda and the Taliban against the U.S.-led coalition. He was also wanted by the United Nations for possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shiite Muslims.
- Minister of Refugees: Khalil Haqqani, the uncle of Sirajuddin and the brother of the late Jalaluddin Haqqani ― who was a close friend of Osama bin Laden and an early leader in the Taliban. Khalil is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist for his fundraising and other activities on behalf of the Taliban and al Qaeda.
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— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha / Public Domain)
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Texas is turning into a Taliban-style state with Gov Adolph Abbott signing a new law against women and turning Texas into a police state. Voting laws based on the BIG LIE restrict freedoms. Democracy is being flushed down the toilet in Red States across America. The pendulum swings and when it does the Texas Three Stooges will be looking for a rock to hide under.
Well actually this could be a good thing if the Taliban representatives come to the UN arrest them.
For all the Trump supporters that feel betrayed by Biden wake up trumps plan was to just walk out of Afghanistan with absolutely no warning to any of Americans living there. That’s an absolute fact that they can find out easily. All this goes to the root of the goat herd mentality that would do anything Trump said and not say anything else but his bullshit words. Wake up you idiots. Read if you know how to do that.
Biden messed this one up and Obama for release if them. Biden must resign
Dumbkopf had 4 years to prove that he was the self proclaimed genius … so why did he not put on his holster and swagger over to kabul to show them he was in charge and get everyone eligible evacuated? He met with his fellow genius kim how many times to great fanfare & photo-ops? Made an idiot of himself. During his term he did everything possible to destroy this country, its institutions, relationships and simply propagated hate and divisiveness. The ultimate traitor. So to all those who decry the current pullout … blame those who started it and dumbkopf who ‘negotiated’ the terms! The jerk did not even show up at any of the venues honoring 9/11 lost let alone indicate any empathy but did his best to draw attention to himself. So to all of gop and his ardent brain bereft followers … quit pretending to be concerned patriots!
It didn’t have to play out this way.
All of Afghanistan is going to have a hard row to hoe now. The taliban will find it impossible to control the country. The genie is out of the bottle. 20 years of freedom means young adults who don’t remember the oppression and don’t yet fear loss. Full civil war within a few months or years. It’s unfortunate, but the people of Afghanistan must fight it out amongst themselves. If they want freedom from oppressive religious fanaticism, they have to. Same as American who reject the fanatics of the religious right.
It’s the end of a great Sabbath and I give honor and thanks to our Creator Creators Heavenly father my God I am grateful of thee creators of this universe and creation he has control over all seen and unseen , IAM he deserves this thanks for keeping us safe as well, for keeping leaving everyone’s minds of harm and danger keeping all evil fears at bay , God we your people pray for all harm not to come to our troops or those whom Allie’s our nation , God bless all our troops serving and coming home and the rest that are trying to come home safely under God’s hand He keeps you all safe forever more God bless our nation as well bring peace truth to allow ,more peace in our towns Cities ., an township’s alike to all our law-enforcement in harms way shower your Grace this day 9/11 20yrs years later bring joy to all our nation, a nations as well greater peace Amen
The Taliban are unlikely to change their beliefs just because we to,d them they were wrong just as Christian fundamentalists and Orthodox Jews are unlikely to change theirs for that reason. The Taliban have taken absolute power over the Afghanistan government and will govern according to their beliefs. Fundamentalist Christians are not in absolute control over our government, but they have amassed considerable political power that has produced state and federal laws, some of which are requiring that other Americans must live or learn according to their beliefs. We don’t think of those laws in the same way we do Sharia laws, but those which I mention impose one group’s religious beliefs in much the same way, as I see it. The difference, in my view, is the degree of restriction and the harshness of the punishments imposed.
This should be obvious. It's listed in the bullets within this very story. "The Taliban’s leadership list includes multiple U.S.-designated terrorists, four of the “Taliban Five” who were released in 2014 from Guantanamo Bay by the Obama administration." Allowing this country to turn back into a hotbed for terrorist could lead to more sophisticated attacks much like what led us to occupy the country. Not to mention our two most powerful adversaries are already filling the void left behind.
Biden, the State Department, and the Military decision makers betrayed the United States and Afghanistan by allowing the Taliban to take over Afghanistan, deserting many US citizens, and Afghan allies to terrorists.
This is appalling! Obama and Biden release these terrorists from Guantanamo. I thought if a person aided our enemy, this person could be tried for treason. Instead, the USA just gave our terrorist enemies their own country! Biden shouldn’t be forced to resign, he should be impeached and tried for treason. PERIOD!
DO NOT FORGET TO THANK TRUMP AND HIS BAND OF CRIMINALS FOR THIS BULLSHIT!!!
Meet the New Taliban, same as the Old Taliban: “UN Raises Alarm on Taliban crackdown on dissent, journalists' BY KATHY GANNON 10 Sept 2021
So I have a question for this president pussy. What are you going to do when you are going to when your best friends don’t respect your deal, we all know you are a pathetic loser who doesn’t do anything in your political career
Religious theocracies have never faired well without overwhelming brutal enforcement of the supreme leader’s beliefs. We did plant the seed of democracy with a whole new generation of Afghans and it will be difficult to put that Genie back into the bottle, again. Turmoil will continue until the Taliban can come to grips with reality. Terrorizing is a whole lot easier than governing and it is not clear that the Taliban is currently up to the task. … … … I am concerned about SIV applicants left in the wake of our departure and hope that American ingenuity can find ways to still honor our commitment to them. I think that American Nationals will have an easier time leaving - despite the grumblings of the more radical Taliban and ISIS-K elements.
"Obstructionist democrats"? I do not think that word means what you think it means.
It reminds me of the GOP
No I do not support them, everyone of them are criminals. How do they expect the American people do you care about Afghanistan. After what Joe Biden has done, create a disaster. Everything he did was backwards. and the people that he has working for him from the military. To me I don’t think they’re worthy of the positions that they are in. And what did they advise the president to do. Leave all of our military equipment, airplanes, helicopters, machine guns, plenty of ammo, night vision glasses, and a lot more. Why would they leave all of that to the enemy? Why are there no questions to Joe Biden and his administration and why all of that military equipment was left there. Every bit of that the American people paid for with our tax dollars. We have a right to know. No news media is asking those questions. When will the Democratic Party, and the Republican party ask those questions, just what country are our politicians including Joe Biden And his administration working for because it doesn’t feel like it’s America they’re working for.
It is very bad. The woman of Afghanistan are trying to stand up for their rights, now all the men need to do the same.