How much leverage do the United States and its allies have over the Taliban? For now, the United States, European Union and Britain have suspended their considerable aid programs, and Afghanistan’s central bank reserves, nearly all held abroad, have been frozen. Most of the aid could be channeled through United Nations agencies or through a possible new trust fund from the World Bank, so countries would not give directly to the Taliban. The most powerful leverage that the United States and the rest of the world have against the Taliban are terrorism sanctions, which prohibit contributions of money, goods and services. The once-unthinkable prospect of a Taliban envoy representing Afghanistan at the United Nations, a powerful symbol of international legitimacy, appears to be one step closer.

Source: International New York Times September 01, 2021 16:46 UTC