Originally Posted by
ORAC
I can find no pronouncements that the Taliban adhered to or implemented any of their obligations under the second of the two parts covered by the initial agreement. Regarding the third and fourth interrelated parts, the fourth part required a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire which never occurred. The agreement as a whole is therefore null and void.
The commitments not to allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for international terror attacks were meaningless until the Taliban had a share of power. So Biden could not have cited any lack of action as a breach of the agreement until the Afghan government fell. At which point his only remaining leverage option was military re-escalation.
As to the intra-Afghan ceasefire. My bold above. You're wrong. It merely required that (quoting directly) "A permanent and comprehensive ceasefire will be an item on the agenda of the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations." That those negotiations were completely unproductive is beside the point. And of course, the Taliban will soon be in a position to declare an unconditional, permanent and comprehensive ceasefire having exploited the terms of the deal to significantly strengthen their negotiating position during the last 18 months
