At the same time as the escalation of the war in the cities and the stagnation of the peace talks in Doha, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani convened an extraordinary session of the National Assembly for the first time on Monday, August 3. President Ghani’s speech at the session focused on four pillars. Citing a verse from the Holy Quran, President Ghani called the Taliban an aggressor and called on the people to mobilize against the group. He also referred to the Doha Agreement between the United States and the Taliban as an accelerated process, saying that this process not only did not lead to peace, but also sought to legitimize an “aggressor group” and delegitimize the republic. At this extraordinary session, President Ghani emphasized the unity and solidarity among the people and called on the members of the National Assembly to work together to paint a bright future for Afghanistan. He attributed the current situation to poor management at various levels of the administration, and said that a six-month plan had been drawn up to manage and improve the situation, according to which the situation would change within the next six months. The president also told the Taliban that they would not resort to destructive forces. According to him, he either sits at the negotiating table with the Taliban or breaks the group fighters on the battlefield. However, the president’s speech met with a wave of reactions. Members of the National Assembly welcomed the president’s speech and said they supported the republican system and security forces. Citizens also praised the president’s stance, saying that although it was taken prematurely, it could change the situation in favor of the government. In response, the Taliban called the president’s remarks “nonsense” and said Ghani was trying to control his “panic”.
The Taliban focused on attacks and escalating violence instead of focusing more on peace talks after the withdrawal of foreign troops. Although the government and the international community have called on the group to return to meaningful peace talks, these demands have apparently not materialized. The Taliban have now launched attacks in most of the provinces, besieging provincial capitals. This situation prompted President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to convene an extraordinary session of the National Assembly. “Although the government has taken effective steps to establish a just and lasting peace, the Taliban have not only taken steps, they have imposed war on the people and government of Afghanistan,” he told the session. Citing a verse from the Holy Quran, the president called the Taliban an aggressor group and called on the people and members of parliament to stand up to the group. According to him, according to the explicit ruling of the Qur’an, a group that does not stop aggression is the religious responsibility of all people to fight against it. He argued that the purpose of aggression was to create Fitna by “deception and trickery.” Ghani added that this war and sedition has been imposed on the people and government of Afghanistan and now it is the religious and religious duty of every Afghan Muslim man and woman to fight against it.
President Ghani emphasized that the people had chosen him with the slogan of peace, tranquility and economic progress, and that he was now working to prevent war and civilian casualties. According to him, his ideal of lasting peace and justice was before and now he has the same ideal. Ghani, however, added that the Taliban have no will for peace and have imposed war on the people. According to the president, in such a situation in the war-torn country, the most painful part of his job is to read the reports of civilian and military casualties.
On the other hand, Mr. Ghani referred to the establishment of a three-day Eid ceasefire in 2018 and said that this ceasefire was a national initiative and showed the nation’s generosity. According to him, the Taliban saw with their own eyes how wide the horizon of this nation is. At that time, our youth, women and people spoke to the Taliban and no one saw them as the enemy. He stressed that the three-day ceasefire was a great lesson to the Taliban. He also added that he has summarized the lessons of national and practical peace in two pages and presented them to the people and the world. “Achieving real and lasting peace is the nature and history of the people of this land, and seeks a deeper understanding of the ideological, cultural and historical context of this land,” the president said.
The Doha Peace Accord Legitimized the Taliban
In part, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani implicitly referred to the Doha Agreement, saying that there was a national consensus and a roadmap for achieving peace, but that the problem began when the Afghan and international peace lessons were not followed. According to Ghani, in this important matter, a national and realistic process was replaced by an imported and accelerated process. A process that, according to Ghani, was based on crude hypotheses and was based on the pressure on the republic and the destruction of democracy. The President stated that this process not only did not lead to peace, but also to efforts to legitimize an aggressor group and to try to delegitimize the republic. He also stressed that this process created a lot of doubt and ambiguity, which is the result of the current situation.
Ghani stressed that there has been no change in the Taliban’s views. “Yes, the Taliban have changed. They have intensified their oppression and violence, and they have become more mercenary than in the past.” According to him, just as the Taliban removed history, geography and patriotism from the quorum during their rule, they now have a deeper belief in its removal. He added that the Taliban have now invaded the history and geography of the country and that the people and the government have come to the conclusion that there is no belief in a lasting and just peace with the Taliban. The president clarified that this misleading calculation will not change until the situation in the battlefield has changed. However, he called on the Taliban to put aside their animosity and strengthen their friendship with the Afghan people.
Emphasis on Unity Among People
However, the President reminded that it is time for unity and solidarity. Ghani stated that now his focus is more on the unity and integrity of the people. According to him, unity is the condition for the survival and victory of the country. The president said it was time to start a national dialogue.
According to President Ghani, the country is undergoing a major national test today. “We have a lot of questions to ask,” he said. “Among other things, how could we, with a millennial civilization, stand up to the sedition of a ‘handful of mercenaries’ and bloodthirst?” According to him, with all this religious, historical and cultural capital, the people should not allow the ‘deviants’ to determine their destiny from outside. “Are we kneeling before a group that is no different from the Kharijites of early Islam?” He asked. A firm ‘no’ was his answer.
MPs: Mobilize Local Forces Against the Taliban
In another part of his speech, President Ghani referred to the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and said that five years ago he had predicted that his international partners would leave Afghanistan. According to him, thousands of foreign troops have left the country during this period, but the security forces have been able to fill this gap. In addition, Ghani stressed that he wrote a letter to the US President two years ago to decide on the withdrawal of the remaining US troops. According to him, although some citizens analyzed that the United States would not leave Afghanistan, the United States suddenly decided to withdraw its forces. However, he stated that with the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, there are dangers and it is the responsibility of all people to eliminate it.
Similarly, Ghani continued his speech by saying that the country has faced an unexpected situation in the last three months. According to Ghani, the country is currently under attack from domestic and foreign propaganda, and there are some rumors that the current situation is the result of a secret deal. Ghani said with confidence that there was no deal, but that the situation was due to mutual unpreparedness and minor weaknesses at various levels. According to him, these reasons had created a vague state. Ghani told members of the House of Representatives that he did not want to say anything to the parliament that would not be implemented later, given that the issues were unclear and it was unclear whether the security forces would be able to implement the plans. “I could not draw an imaginary state and make false promises based on it,” he said. “Today, this ambiguity has been largely removed. The relative withdrawal of forces has taken place. I am at your service today to talk about the future.”
He called on members of the National Assembly to work together to create a bright future for Afghanistan. Ghani noted that each member of the nation is connected to thousands of people and can use their strong ties and networks for national mobilization to give a decisive answer to the enemies.
Division of The Security Forces’ Duties
President Ghani went on to say that he had drawn up a clear plan for achieving “stability” in the next six months and that implementation had begun. He added that he anticipates all dangers and opportunities, and now the security forces are able to deploy and become stronger day by day. According to Ghani, in up to six months, the future of the country will be stable. The President stated that only with the cooperation of the people and their representatives, this country can stand on its own two feet.
The president told lawmakers that the government was facing an unprecedented onslaught of terrorism, and that the Taliban had changed from how they were 24 years ago. According to the president, the Taliban have attacked more aggressively, bloodthirstily and cruelly than in the past. Ghani added that the Taliban had did not severe ties with international terrorists, but also strengthened them, in defiance of their commitments. Taliban violence is now more prevalent than ever, he said. He added that the Taliban had increasingly disregarded religious precepts and values and increased their attacks on women, journalists and civil society. The president also added that this time the government is not facing a scattered and inexperienced movement, but is facing a regular apparatus. He explained that behind this unholy coalition is international terrorism. “We are facing an assault that is based on dark mindsets,” he said. “We are facing an assault that is backed by port ransom takers and traffickers of drugs, chromite and gold. We are waging this war against the unholy coalition of ideological terrorist groups, smugglers and extortionists.”
The Taliban Decide; Do They Want Peace or War?
In another part of his speech, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani mentioned that he is 72 years old and nothing is important to him except peace and tranquility. He said that whatever he does for the peace, tranquility and well-being of the people, he will see nothing but killing and violence on the part of the opposition (Taliban). Ghani added that they should not expect him to forgive. According to the president, the people expect him to pass the test of the country decisively.
The Reactions
Ghani’s speech has met with reactions. The National Assembly and a number of citizens welcomed the move and expressed their support for the regime and the security forces. Members of the National Assembly adopted a joint declaration following an extraordinary session attended by the President. The joint declaration supports the republican system, the peace process and the security forces. In the statement, the National Assembly called on the Taliban to stop the “murder and destruction” machine they have launched. The National Assembly has said that the main victims of violence in the country are ordinary people and the poor society of the country, so the Taliban group should not destroy the civilization of the region more than it already has. The National Assembly has called on the Taliban to join the peace that the Holy Quran wants. A joint statement from the House of Representatives and the Senate called on the United Nations, the United States, the countries involved in Afghanistan, international and regional organizations, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to provide material and political support to the Afghan people. Work together to achieve lasting peace.
Sarwar Danesh, the second vice president, called the president’s remarks instructive and constructive in every way. He wrote on his Facebook page that he answered all the questions clearly and put an end to all the ambiguities and doubts. According to him, the position of the government leadership was clearly stated in all directions and in all important and crucial national issues such as peace, war, how meaningful peace talks and talks, the nature of the enemy and the national responsibilities of the Afghan people. Danesh has said that he fully supports the constructive position of the president. He stated that it is now the duty of all the people of Afghanistan to stand united in a clear path and in close lines, to defend the republic and the security forces.
Writer and poet Kava Gibran has said that President Ghani’s position, although late, is still effective. He stressed, however, that this is possible only if it is supported by practical work and honesty. He called on the president to allow a number of government figures to intervene in the security establishment and to leave war decisions to the Supreme Council of War Directors. It also called on the government to recognize the forces of the popular resistance and to equip and fund them in parallel with other security forces without politics, discrimination or discrimination. The country’s author has suggested to the government that it temporarily compel military service and call on people under the age of 40 to fight the Taliban.
In response, the Taliban described President Ghani’s remarks as “nonsense.” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that President Ghani was trying to control his plight. He has said that declaring war, making accusations and providing “false” information will not prolong the life of Ghani’s government.
President Ghani convened an extraordinary session of the National Assembly while the Doha peace talks did not yield tangible results. Although sources in Doha say that peace talks are taking place between the negotiating delegations of the two sides, the principle of the agenda, which is to establish a ceasefire, mediate and reach a political agreement, has not been discussed so far.
