During their first week back in power, the Taliban leadership has gone to great lengths to show the world their movement has evolved on issues of governance, terrorism, and women’s rights since they ruled the country 20 years ago. However, the international community must approach the Taliban pledges with skepticism and wait to see if their actions on the ground match their early statements. While countries like Russia and China with little interest in defending civil liberties may rush to recognize the Taliban, the United States and its like-minded partners must condition diplomatic recognition on the Taliban meeting human rights and counterterrorism standards.
Take Time to Judge Taliban’s Actions, Not Words (justsecurity.org)
