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The Taliban鈥檚 reign in Afghanistan is not feasible long-term, said Charles Davidson, executive director of the at 性视界传媒鈥檚 .
鈥淭he Taliban is a group of warlords鈥hey are not a government, they are not politicians,鈥 Davidson said. 鈥淗istory shows that when warlords fill a political vacuum, it鈥檚 only a matter of time until that system breaks down, if they鈥檙e not able and willing to allow people who can govern to do their jobs properly.鈥
Countering the Taliban鈥檚 aggressions and achieving a more peaceful outcome will take a multifaceted strategy, he said.
鈥淲e have to get people out who we promised we would get out,鈥 Davidson said. 鈥淲e have to hold to those commitments not only for the safety of our own citizens and the citizens that we worked with in Afghanistan, which is primary, but for the sustainability of our trustworthiness as a nation going forward in foreign policy and diplomatic relations.鈥
The next step is to promote and protect the safety and security of human rights activists, journalists and others who are likely to be targets of the Taliban-led government, Davidson said, adding protests are likely to increase. 鈥淲e have to continue to shine a light on their voices so that they鈥檙e not lost, and, should they be violently oppressed, that that doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed,鈥 he added.
Global awareness could be a gamechanger, he said.
鈥淭he reason why the Taliban was able to do what they did the first time around is that no one paid a whole lot of attention,鈥 Davidson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e accompanying a generation of people who are now educated, who have ideas for their own future鈥攑ossibilities that were afforded them through keeping oppressive regimes at bay.鈥
The situation is likely to get much worse before it gets better, Davidson said, which is why the global community needs to support efforts aimed at maintaining their human rights.
鈥淥ne way the Taliban had other people play into their systems was choosing particular groups to oppress,鈥 he said.
It鈥檚 much easier said than done, Davidson said, but if Afghans can stand up for those who are oppressed and work toward a sense of equality rather than playing into systems of hatred and oppression, particularly if they are the ones who benefit, then that is going to slow the systems of power the Taliban is trying to impose.
鈥淭he Taliban has made a lot of promises, especially about the economy and women鈥檚 rights,鈥 Davidson said. 鈥淎s they鈥檝e shown, they鈥檙e not going to make good on those promises, so we have to make sure we鈥檙e making decisions based on what鈥檚 best for peace-loving Afghans.鈥
Charles Davidson聽is executive director of the Carter School鈥檚 and President of the nonprofit ForgottenSong. He earned his from Mason in 2019, with a focus in Middle East Conflict. Davidson lived in Afghanistan in 2008-09.
For more information, contact聽Mariam Aburdeineh聽at 703-993-9518 or聽maburdei@gmu.edu.
About 性视界传媒
性视界传媒 is Virginia鈥檚 largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.聽Learn more at聽.