US Not Recognizing Taliban Interim Government Yet

The United States is taking its time in recognizing the Taliban's newly formed government.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during the press briefing nobody in the government, including the President and the national security staff, would convey that the Taliban are respected members of the world community, The Indian Express said. Psaki further emphasized that this is a caretaker cabinet, including the imprisoned four former Taliban fighters.

She also stated that whether or not the so-called "Taliban government" should be recognized will be contingent on the militants' actions. She went on to say that recognizing the Taliban isn't a priority for her. The Taliban's actions will determine everything. She went on to say that the entire world, notably the United States, will be watching.

According to ANI (via Yahoo News), these events occurred immediately after the Taliban announced its new caretaker administration, putting an end to days of uncertainty and allegations of internal infighting within the organization, which supposedly delayed the introduction of the new Afghan rule.

After two decades in the desert, the Taliban announced their new interim administration, informing the world that they had rehabilitated and were ready to be inclusive. Long-time hard-line leaders of the terrorist group, including a US-designated terrorist, make up the caretaker Cabinet, entirely of men.

According to an NBC News story, a State Department official observed the lack of inclusivity. Still, Kate Clark, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a policy research group based in Kabul, said it was unsurprising.

Clark said, "The Taliban never gave any hint that they wanted to include people other than themselves in the government. Anyone who thought they might make concessions or try to appease international opinion, or indeed, the opinions of other Afghans, to be honest, I think is a bit delusional."

The Taliban Interim Government consists of the following individuals:

Acting Prime Minister

For a long period, Mohammad Hasan Akhund was the chairman of the Taliban's Rehbari Shura, or leadership council. Prior to his death in 2013, Akhund was close to Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Taliban's initial commander, and served as foreign minister and later deputy prime minister during the Taliban's administration of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Acting Deputy Prime Minister

Abdul Ghani Baradar was the Taliban's political leader and one of the terrorist group's founding members. Baradar, who was also loyal to Omar, served as defense minister when the organization last ruled Afghanistan. He went on to become a key military commander and assisted in the leadership of assaults on coalition soldiers, according to a United Nations sanctions notice.

Acting Interior Minister

Sirajuddin Haqqani was designated as a terrorist by the US government in March 2008, according to the FBI, and a $10 million reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest. The leader of the Haqqani network, which the US has labeled as a terrorist organization, is wanted for questioning in connection with a January 2008 attack on a hotel in Kabul that killed six people, one of whom was an American.

Acting Foreign Minister

Amir Khan Muttaqi served as minister of culture and communication as well as minister of education when the Taliban were in power. Later, he was appointed to the Qatari peace commission and negotiating team, which held talks with the United States. During the conflict, Muttaqi was the Taliban's Invitation and Guidance Commission leader, which tried to encourage government officials and others to defect to the organization.

Furthermore, according to a State Department official, the provisional administration is made up mainly of Taliban militants or close friends, with no women, which concerns the US authorities.