#SouthAsia too. #Britain set #Pakistan and #Afghanistan against each other with the #DurandLine splitting the Pashtuns. The #Taliban has always had #covert #Western #proxy and #Saudi backing.
The timing of the Taliban attacking Pakistan and starting a war is revealing. It ties down Pakistan from supporting its #ally Iran fully when attacked. Iran has millennia of #historical ties to the entire #region, and a mutual #defense pact with Pakistan. Iran is under their #nuclear umbrella.
I should clarify that Pakistan has been aligning more and more with the USA. Despite its pact with Iran, Pakistan has joined the #BoardOfPeace. Pakistan was also deeply involved in supporting the Taliban along with the #CIA. Pakistan’s strikes on Afghan #civilians are an #atrocity, and likely in part motivated to provoke Afghanistan to respond in order to provide an excuse not to help defend Iran.