On 6th November 2023, senior and former American diplomat Annie Pforzheimer wrote an article for World Politics Review. In the article, Pforzheimer, who has previously worked extensively as an American diplomat in Afghanistan, highlighted the signs that the Biden Administration was mulling widening and upgrading its ties with the Taliban, now the government of Afghanistan. Pforzheimer argued that, based on lingering concerns regarding human rights as well as the Taliban's perceived ties to terrorist organisations, that Washington ought to desist from improving its ties with the Taliban.

In the second episode of Season 2 of The Afghan Eye Podcast, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar dissects Pforzheimer's article, the references it sources, and the arguments presented within it.

Are improved American-Afghan relations really on the horizon?  What does this mean for Afghanistan?

(Thumbnail photo of Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani by AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images. Instagram @a.sahel_arman)

Articles referenced:

The article:
 https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/us-afghanistan-taliban/

Annie Pforzheimer's biography:
 https://www.csis.org/people/annie-pforzheimer

CSIS’ funding and donors:
 https://www.csis.org/about/financial-information

The UN's 2023 report: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/125/36/PDF/N2312536.pdf?OpenElement

The UN's 2022 report: 
 https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/333/77/PDF/N2233377.pdf?OpenElement

The Doha Agreement:
 https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Agreement-For-Bringing-Peace-to-Afghanistan-02.29.20.pdf

Afghan Ministerial Visit to Islamabad:
 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/14/taliban-minister-raised-refugee-assets-issue-during-pakistan-visit-embassy

Afghan goods held in Karachi:
 https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2387031/pakistan

Peace in Afghanistan a 'nightmare':
 https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185983

Regional recognition of Taliban to be 'simultaneous':
 https://www.voanews.com/a/regional-countries-mulling-simultaneous-taliban-recognition-pakistani-envoy-says/7357983.html

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