In comments published in the state news agency, Russian Foreign Ministry official Zamir Kabulov expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, urging new cooperation between Russia and NATO is shoring up the Afghan government’s security forces.
Early in the Obama Administration, Russia offered logistics support to the NATO war in Afghanistan, giving them an overland supply route from Europe as a cheaper alternative during periods of tension with Pakistan precluded using the naval route.
Tensions between Russia and NATO have seriously hindered such cooperation in recent years, however, and NATO talk of a withdrawal and ending of the conflict has fueled concern from Russia that they would get hung with supporting Afghanistan’s neighbors against spreading instability.
US commander Gen. John Nicholson is trying to blame the recent woes on Russia, saying the Russian government is “legitimizing” the Taliban in noting that the Taliban has been fighting against ISIS.
Though Russia was eager to provide limited support against the Taliban throughout the war, they are clearly more concerned that ISIS would end up with a serious foothold in Afghanistan, as the Taliban is relatively Afghanistan-centric, while ISIS has global ambitions.
There is no level of cooperation with NATO, anywhere that is going to do Russia any good while NATO is still reading cold war plans for a hot one.
Russia’s best tack is to make sure NATO is busily engaged in places like Afghanistan for the foreseeble future.
Unfortunatelly, NATO’s presence in Afghanistan just saw the exponential growth of heroin production. This is endandering Tajikistan and Kirgyzstan — increasing drugs trafficking, crime, and addiction. Exports via Pakistan are endangering whole regions — from Cambodia to Philipinnes. Since in Europe the largest gangs selling heroin are Albanian, there is a fear that a lawless Kosovo with their former crime gangs now donning politicians’ suits, that direct flights Kabul-Pristina are doing a major business. Russia has once forced NATO to curb drugs export from Afghanistan, but the excuse of “not working with Russia” has become an all purpose excuse for letting things slide, and doing nothing while both drugd and ISIS cults consume and destroy the societies. It is amazing that billions of dollars in heroin can be exported at the time when NATO can easily control the few viable roads out of Afghanistan, and controls the skies. Yet, there are THOUSANDS of heroin labs operating unmolested all accross Afghanistan.
Russia and China are calling for the meeting of all neighbors of Afghanistan, and that includes Iran, Pakistan, India and China. The drugs epidemic is hitting many countries hard — and the Wahhabi inspired ISIS cults are takingbhold on desparate people, seekingbsolutions in extreme religion to steady their lives. Not knowing that by doing so they are becoming pawns in a greater game of destruction and chaos.
I tend to agree that the time has come to prevent Saudi Arabia and its minions spreading ISIS cults with impunity.
Russia is bordering many islamic ‘stans; thus, fears the extreme branch of Islam much more than Europe and the Americas.
Lucky for Russia that China also must ensure that the Isil never knocks on its doors and walls.
Both countries [ok, empires] thus must realize that Nato lands will try not to help China and Russia in fighting the extreme Islam.
How much Isis will grow, nobody knows, but if does grow and spreads or threatens to spread to some or all ‘stans, China and Russia may have to attack Arab peninsula in order to prevent any damage to own people and peoples from Daesh.
It is high time China and Russia issue to arab lands an “all options on the table” unless they desists from helping in any way wahhabism.
That a warning could be extended to N. America and Europe if they would start working with Isil to destabilize some parts of the world!
Putin’s 2007 speech: https://www.rt.com/news/376901-putin-munich-speech-2007/
It’s a half hour that wouldn’t be wasted for all those who are truly interested in our antiwar cause. The expressions on the faces of audience members will tell you something on how it was received.