Ex-Tory minister pleads for UK to have interaction with Taliban amid ‘one other 9/11’ concern

A former Tory minister has pleaded with the Government to re-establish relations with the Taliban – warning of “another 9/11” if the nation is deserted.

Tobias Ellwood stated that almost all of Taliban members aren’t fundamentalists, claiming many be a part of the group for social and tribal causes. Mr Ellwood, who give up as Defence Committee chairman after a backlash when he known as for improved relations final summer time, warned a humanitarian, terrorism and financial disaster is “looming”.

He stated: “We’ve abandoned a country, and that turns into an incubator for terrorism.” And Mr Ellwood quoted US Senator Lindsey Graham, who stated: “If we abandon Afghanistan out of frustration and weariness we pave the best way for an additional 9/11.”

Mr Ellwood stated strange Afghans are being punished as a result of the Taliban is in cost – however questioned whether or not all members are as excessive as many consider. He stated a cut up between pragmatists in capital Kabul and hardliners in Kandahar has opened up, with solely 40% of members signed as much as the “full religious ideology”.

In response Government minister Andrew Mitchell stated the Government is “some way” from absolutely recognising the Taliban. But he stated British officers have visited Kabul and held conferences with Taliban officers.

Mr Ellwood advised a Westminster Hall debate: “No doubt it (the Taliban) remains an ultra conservative movement with the most ruthless interpretation of sharia law in the world. But there are differences between Kandahar and Kabul.”

He advised MPs that he’d witnessed girls proceed to work as docs and in key ministries and airports throughout a go to final yr. Mr Ellwood stated he’d questioned this, stating: “The answer was that licences are quietly issued allowing women to work in these occupations.”

Mr Ellwood added that many Kabul-based Taliban leaders ship their daughters to high school in Dubai. And he cited analysis claiming that simply 40% of Taliban members are absolutely signed as much as the total non secular ideology.

He stated others be a part of for various causes, stating: “They simply join the Taliban because that’s what happens in Afghanistan when any force looks like they’re going to win, everyone sees the change in the wind and joins sides.”

Speaking throughout a Westminster Hall debate, Mr Ellwood stated there’s “no clarion call for regime change” among the many Afghan inhabitants. He stated: “That begs the very difficult question – if the Afghan people are not calling for it, should we continue to punish the Afghan people because the Taliban are in charge?

He said that $9billion of frozen assets could be used as leverage in “bettering rights for girls and women if we used it extra cognitively”. Mr Ellwood sparked a backlash after calling for the UK to re-establish links with Afghanistan.

But doubling down, he said the current approach is “ineffective”, stating: “As the saying goes, we might have misplaced curiosity in Afghanistan however Afghanistan has not misplaced curiosity in us.” He continued: “Our strategy to Afghanistan is not only in the meanwhile incoherent, it is ineffectual.”

Foreign Office minister Mr Mitchell said: “Our intention has been to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Kabul when the safety and political scenario permits. We do not consider that that is the solid in the meanwhile, however officers proceed to go to and can hold it underneath assessment.

“We’re clear that we must have a pragmatic dialogue with the Taliban, however this doesn’t amount to recognition. We’re some way off moving to recognise the Taliban, we need to keep the pressure with them to change their approach.”