Reverse insurgency: TTP

Pakistani military in pre-war stage with TTP

Pakistan uses Taliban for gain vs India

High risk to region & the US from Al Qaeda

No common ground between Taliban & China

Jihad a problem for Pakistan

Washington needs new approach to Taliban

A deep dive into the sensitive geopolitics at the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.

After 20 years of war, in August 2021, the United States became the most recent superpower to be seen off by Afghanistan. After the US withdrew, the Taliban, whom the United States had kicked out in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, swiftly seized power again.

But since then, the Taliban has challenged the status of the Afghan-Pakistan border and given haven to the anti-Pakistan insurgent group, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, TTP, which has killed thousands of Pakistanis and wants to establish a Taliban-style Sharia state in Pakistan. 

In this episode, to explain the complicated knot in that volatile region, Nirmal Ghosh hosts Javid Ahmad, a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council South Asia Center, and former ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates; and Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracy and editor of the foundation's Long War Journal. 

Highlights (click/tap above): 

2:35 The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a classic case of reverse insurgency

4:50 Many believe the Pakistani military is in a pre-war stage with the TTP

5:30 Pakistani state, elites seek “strategic depth” within Afghanistan, against India – and continue to support the Afghan Taliban

7:20 The risk from Al Qaeda to the region and the US is very great; the Taliban is not abandoning Al Qaeda

13:10 The Taliban, or Afghans in general, have nothing in common with China

16:10 The wheel of jihad keeps on turning – and could turn into a major problem for the Pakistani state

21:17 Washington should diversify its approach toward the Taliban 

Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r

Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Asian Insider videos: https://str.sg/wdcC

---

Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

A deep dive into the sensitive geopolitics at the Afghan-Pakistan border.
Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.
After 20 years of war, in August 2021, the United States became the most recent superpower to be seen off by Afghanistan. After the US withdrew, the Taliban, whom the United States had kicked out in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, swiftly seized power again.
But since then, the Taliban has challenged the status of the Afghan-Pakistan border and given haven to the anti-Pakistan insurgent group, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, TTP, which has killed thousands of Pakistanis and wants to establish a Taliban-style Sharia state in Pakistan. 
In this episode, to explain the complicated knot in that volatile region, Nirmal Ghosh hosts Javid Ahmad, a non-resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council South Asia Center, and former ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates; and Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracy and editor of the foundation's Long War Journal. 
Highlights (click/tap above): 
2:35 The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a classic case of reverse insurgency
4:50 Many believe the Pakistani military is in a pre-war stage with the TTP
5:30 Pakistani state, elites seek “strategic depth” within Afghanistan, against India – and continue to support the Afghan Taliban
7:20 The risk from Al Qaeda to the region and the US is very great; the Taliban is not abandoning Al Qaeda
13:10 The Taliban, or Afghans in general, have nothing in common with China
16:10 The wheel of jihad keeps on turning – and could turn into a major problem for the Pakistani state
21:17 Washington should diversify its approach toward the Taliban 
Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (<a href="mailto:nirmal@sph.com.sg">nirmal@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Follow Asian Insider with Nirmal Ghosh every fourth Friday of the month:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wQsB"> https://str.sg/wQsB</a> 
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter:<a href="https://str.sg/JD7r"> https://str.sg/JD7r</a>
Read Nirmal Ghosh's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/JbxG"> https://str.sg/JbxG</a>
Register for Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://str.sg/stnewsletters"> https://str.sg/stnewsletters</a>
Asian Insider videos:<a href="https://str.sg/wdcC"> https://str.sg/wdcC</a>
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Stop Scams: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
Invisible Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Bookmark This!: <a href="https://str.sg/JWas">https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Lunch With Sumiko: <a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ">https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#STAsianInsider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Advertisement