"A Russia - Taliban Alliance? " Topic

"Afghan and American officials are increasingly worried that any deepening of ties between Russia and Taliban militants fighting to topple the government in Kabul could complicate an already precarious security situation.

Russian officials have denied they provide aid to the insurgents, who are contesting large swathes of territory and inflicting heavy casualties, and say their limited contacts are aimed at bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table.

Leaders in Kabul say Russian support for the Afghan Taliban appears to be mostly political so far…"
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The pendulum swings again.

I can certainly see a certain amount of schadenfreude being enjoyed by the Kremlin over NATO's efforts in Afghanistan… wouldn't put it past them to surreptitiously supply the Taliban.

On the other hand, there is serious talk of us moving closer to Vietnam in order to counter Chinese expansion.

While it may appear somewhat ironic that Russia may be helping what is essentially the successors of the very group (the US-supplied Mujahideen as portrayed in 'Charlie Wilson's War') that bled them dry during their Afghanistan fiasco, I can see the utility of this as a future bargaining chip that could be used in a tit-for-tat negotiation with the US down the road. Over Syria's political future for instance. Or to limit American meddling in the Ukraine.

Fanatik: the Taliban are not "Mujahideen: The Next Generation". The Muj supported by US and Pakistan aged and became the warlords whose excesses inspired the creation of the Taliban after the USSR withdrew from Afghanistan. After the Taliban were overthrown, many former mujihadeen joined the western-backed Kabul government.

Of course alliances are always shifting, at the personal level and higher – so there will be former Mujihadeen associated with the Taliban, former Taliban now with the government and so on. That just reinforces that you can't overgeneralise!

And it's natural that Russia will have continuing interests in Afghanistan, as it has for nearly the past two centuries.

Very strange as Iran sees the Taliban as a threat. Iran may be displeased if it appears that Russian are supporting them.

China also has recently sent an arms shipment to the ANA/ANP … So once the US gets it's fill of trying to bring that country into the 20th Century, etc., … Maybe it will be a proxy war between the Russians and PRC. I've heard about something like that before ?

On the other hand, there is serious talk of us moving closer to Vietnam in order to counter Chinese expansion.

The USA just lifted the arm embargo on Vietnam this summer, IIRC.

Vietnam is the last major country in SEA that hasn't been brought in line with China in her SCS ambitions since the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia are no longer making waves and are kow-towing to their new overlords in the Middle Kingdom.