ol_ben
Not sure which international law the UN are not adhering to.
The Taliban's legitimacy was only ever based on a military force that had overthrown the internationally recognised government of Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance had as much, if not more, right to their 10% as the Taliban had to the other 90%.
The President recognised by the UN has only returned to Kabul in the last few days. His legitimate predecessor, Najibullah, was tortured and publicly hanged by the Taliban in defiance of the then laws of Afghanistan. Even Najibullah's legitimacy - supported by the Soviet Union after their illegal invasion and occupation of Afghanistan - is in doubt. The King in exile is equally as valid as the Taliban. When Afghanistan was a monarchy it was recognised by all other nations as independent and sovereign. The Taliban were only ever recognised by 3 countries - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and another one that escapes me. To put it into perspective - Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia had considerably more legitimacy being recognised at the time by the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Rumania, Hungary, Poland (who also invaded a part of Slovakia) etc etc.
The UN, representative as it is of the whole world give or take a little, is entitled to support the removal of the illegal Taliban government. Afghanistan's seat at the UN was still occupied by the Afghan Government in exile as were most of their embassies, including the one in London, at the start of the present conflict. It is only now that a new government has been cobbled together that the previous President and his ambassadors will have to renounce their diplomatic credentials to make way for those of the new regime. I suspect that the embassy staff who have been existing in limbo will probably be retained as part of the proof of the continuity of the old government now replaced with an interim internationally recognised leadership.
Since Afghanistan has been represented at the UN throughout the conflict, and since that legitimate government supports the liberation of the country it is wrong to say that anybody has been at war with Afghanistan. Indeed the attacks on the Taliban when viewed from the position of the Government in exile have international legitimacy and are perfectly legal. If anything the UN forces have been fighting for Afghanistan and not against it.
Just my view of course.
