The Taliban's slap in the face to the US

The Taliban marked the three-year anniversary of taking over Afghanistan Wednesday with a military parade showcasing military hardware left behind by American forces as they raced for the exit. Fixed wing aircraft and helicopters thundered through the blue skies over Bagram airbase—once the hub for U.S. forces—as armored personnel carriers, Humvees and trucks loaded with rockets rumbled past dignitaries as the Taliban's white flag fluttered in the breeze.

Some of the equipment came from supplies seized by the Taliban from Afghan government forces, which collapsed as the U.S. withdrew in 2021. Others were left behind by U.S. troops after being rendered inoperable. In all, some $7 billion worth of weapons, gear and ammunition were abandoned.

It was the first major crisis of President Joe Biden's administration. And 13 U.S. personnel were killed in a [kamikaze] attack on Kabul's airport as thousands of people tried to flee. On Wednesday, members of the Taliban cabinet celebrated capturing the capital. They ignored their international isolation and glossed over the devastated economy.

Instead they lauded what they see as their government's achievements, such as strengthening Islamic law, and appealed to the diaspora to return home. Chinese and Iranian diplomats joined hundreds of people at the base as the Taliban laid on their biggest celebration since forcing out American troops. However, women were banned from the commemoration, including female journalists with international news organizations.

'The Islamic Emirate eliminated internal differences and expanded the scope of unity and cooperation in the country,' Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir said. 'No one will be allowed to interfere in internal affairs, and Afghan soil will not be used against any country.' Aid agencies warn that humanitarian efforts in the country are gravely underfunded as economic collapse and climate change destroy livelihoods.

They say that Afghans, particularly women and girls, will suffer if there isn't more diplomatic engagement with the Taliban. Human Rights Watch (HRW) used the occasion to call for the Taliban government to lift restrictions on women, who have been squeezed from public life and banned from secondary and higher education.

'The third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover is a grim reminder of Afghanistan’s human rights crisis, but it should also be a call for action,' said Fereshta Abbasi, the group's Afghanistan. The Bagram parade was also an opportunity for the Taliban to showcase some of the military hardware abandoned by U.S. and NATO-led forces after decades of war, including helicopters, Humvees and tanks.

Uniformed soldiers marched with light and heavy machine guns, and a motorcycle formation carried the Taliban flag. Pickup trucks crammed with men of all ages drove through Kabul's streets in celebration of the takeover. Some men posed for photos with rifles.

In a parade in southern Helmand province, men held yellow canisters to represent the type of explosives used in roadside bombings during the war. The Taliban declared Wednesday a national holiday. As in previous years, women did not take part in anniversary festivities.

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