Taliban cannot become good overnight: Afghan opposition leader
'Hannity' has exclusive interview with Afghanistan VP Amrullah Saleh on his fight against the Taliban
Afghan Resistance leader Amrullah Saleh – formerly the Vice President of Afghanistan until President Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates and the Taliban took power – joined "Hannity" on Friday to call for the return of American leadership and dominance; and invited American citizens who may be stranded by President Biden's August 31 withdrawal deadline to seek refuge in his new "capital."
Saleh said he and his supporters have been building an anti-Taliban resistance in the Panjshir Valley, near the Hindu Kush Mountains in northeastern Afghanistan. He told host Sean Hannity that the United States government has been making decisions based mostly on politics, which has lead to the crisis within his country.
Saleh said the West should not be under the assumption the Taliban and al Qaeda are opposing entities or that the Taliban should be trusted by the United States. He claimed that the Taliban and its current Kabul leadership all came from Pakistan, and called on Biden to hold the government in Islamabad accountable for any casualties caused by the Taliban.
He added that he understands America's "fatigue" with the 20-year war in Afghanistan, but offered what he called a few simple actions the U.S. could take to solve the crisis and assure the safety of Westerners and Afghan civilians.
"[T]hese are doable things and it will save the lives of Americans, and most likely save the lives of millions of Afghans: Number 1, the Pakistani Taliban and al Qaeda are celebrating the defeat of the United States. It's a must for Joe Biden's administration to take Pakistani state accountable," he said.
"All of the Taliban leaders in Kabul, including [Sirajuddin] Haqqani have come from Pakistan. Number 2, they should make it very clear to the Taliban now in control of Kabul that if one more attack is carried out, it will be the Taliban responsible for it because a few days back, we warned the Americans that the only way for the Taliban to gain control of the Kabul airport is to stage suicide attacks and blame it on ISIS."
"Otherwise, this fiasco won't end soon. So for Taliban to say 'it's not us', the Taliban are the creator of the suicide bombing in Afghanistan over the past 20 years -- they cannot become innocent overnight."
Saleh called on the U.S. government to use its ability to convene other Western forces and create "an alliance for peace" as they did in aligning against terrorism, remarking that the United States is "seeming so weak."
"We're asking the United States to project confidence, hope, power. Not weakness, not desperation, not being seen as a superpower on the run and unable to do anything."
Saleh also invited any American or Western-aligned individual fearing for their life under Taliban rule to attempt to seek refuge in the Panjshir Valley among his resistance population.
"If any American tries to take refuge in the safe harbor that we created, we will welcome them with open arms and we will provide them protection and we will make sure that they are safe and we will coordinate whatever way possible with U.S. so these Americans will be evacuated," he said.
‘The Panjshir Valley today is not only a valley, it’s the center and a safe haven and the capital for all of those that fear their lives, who are fearing Taliban terrorists and trying to get to somewhere to feel safe."
Saleh told Hannity he knows the United States is capable of completing its mission without casualties or setbacks but that there is no "political will" in Washington for such tough decisions.
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"The decision which was taken to withdraw troops from Afghanistan so abruptly was a political decision. It has hurt the feelings of so many American service members, intelligence community, strategic community," he said.
"I understand Washington was fatigued by paying billions of dollars and retraining the troops in Afghanistan. What you're seeing now, America is paying with its dignity with its reputation and its credibility. America must show will and power and project hope and confidence."
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