Category: the Taliban

The Kabul Effect and the New Axis of Evil

Commentary The butterfly effect, as you are no doubt aware, is a phenomenon whereby small changes in a localized, complex system result in enormous changes elsewhere. If I may exaggerate a little, the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Tokyo has the potential to produce an earthquake in Tehran. What about the “Kabul effect,” a…


Designate the Taliban as a Terrorist Organization: It’s Long Overdue

Commentary The chaos unfolding in Afghanistan is the result of a failure of American strategy, intelligence, and will. As the lead member of the alliance against the Taliban, and as the lead country that sought to bring democracy to Afghanistan, the United States must take responsibility for its failure. The elements of that failure are…


The Afghanistan Disaster: Is President Biden Really to Blame?

Commentary Last week, as Afghanistan crumbled, I found myself reading “How to Win Friends & Influence People,” one of the best-selling books of the 20th century. As I digested Dale Carnegie’s advice, I found myself wondering if President Biden owned a copy. His actions, on first inspection, seem to indicate that he doesn’t. After all,…


Beijing’s Desperate Bid to Support the Taliban

Commentary The collapse of the government of Afghanistan on Aug. 15 was a disaster for the Biden administration, but it set the stage for the new Central Asian regional competition between China, Russia, and India. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) supported the Taliban in displacing both the Afghan government and the United States from the…