Whether viewed through the eyes of its long-suffering people or from the perspective of Western politicians’ self-interest, the current meltdown in Afghanistan is a nightmare. The international community must act, and there are three things in particular that it can do without rewarding the Taliban.
oreign governments have frozen international banking transactions and trade with Afghanistan, by imposing the vast array of counter-terrorism rules established over the past 20 years. As a result, Afghan public-sector salaries have dried up, and the economy has tanked. Many development-aid projects, no matter how essential, have been paralyzed or canceled.
As a result, the onset of the harsh Afghan winter has brought rising prices, and food has become increasingly scarce. Schools, clinics, and hospitals across the country have stopped functioning. So, just when the Afghan people need more help, they are being denied even the basics. It is a high price to pay for being ruled by the Taliban.
International humanitarian aid workers and Afghan communities themselves are doing their best to keep food aid moving, clinics functioning, and schools open for boys and girls. But the challenges are huge. Afghans now face destitution, and even famine, on a dramatic scale.
link:https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/three-priorities-to-avert-afghanistan-disaster-by-gordon-brown-and-martin-griffiths-2022-01