‘Jaw-jaw is better than war war’ according to Churchill. And with the failure of last night’s G7 summit, diplomacy is the only option left to the West as its leaders come to terms with the Taliban’s triumph. Downing Street has denied reports that sanctions will be imposed on the new regime, with the billions of pounds in frozen Afghan assets overseas intended to be used as leverage.
And so Ed Davey’s much-mocked proposal of ‘tea with the Taliban’ has now become de-facto government policy as Britain desperately negotiates to evacuate refugees. Steerpike wonders what exciting role the militant Islamists will play in the wider international community. One such outlet for its energies could be the United Nations, with the former American ambassador there John Bolton this week warning that the Taliban are now poised to seat a representative on the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Elsewhere, attention has shifted to focus on the main diplomatic jamboree of the cocktails and canapés circuit: COP26.
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