RASC News Agency: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has disclosed that the Biden administration is actively assessing the prospect of designating the Taliban as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a move that could dramatically reshape Washington’s engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, May 21, Rubio underscored that the final decision would hinge upon evolving U.S. strategic interests and policy directions toward the war-torn country. Rubio’s remarks came in response to probing questions from Representative Tim Burchett, a vocal critic of the Taliban’s legitimacy. The Secretary of State affirmed that the U.S. government is acutely aware of the Taliban’s extremist pedigree, their long-standing ties to international jihadist networks, and their ongoing repression of the Afghanistani people. He acknowledged that, while a limited number of American citizens had recently been released from Taliban custody, this should not be misconstrued as a sign of meaningful reform or cooperation from the group.
“The Taliban have shown no credible commitment to breaking ties with al-Qaeda or respecting the basic human rights of Afghanistani citizens particularly women, minorities, and dissenting voices,” Rubio said. He added that any decision to officially classify the group as a terrorist entity would be guided by a realistic appraisal of facts on the ground, rather than wishful diplomacy. Rubio also highlighted the precarious security environment in Afghanistan, noting that the U.S. Department of Defense is maintaining continuous surveillance of the region to detect and neutralize emerging terrorist threats. He pointed to the unresolved dangers posed by militant groups operating under Taliban protection as a major reason behind the Biden administration’s refusal to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. “We cannot in good conscience place our diplomatic personnel in a capital controlled by a regime that refuses to guarantee their safety,” he stated.
When questioned about the visa status of Amrullah Saleh, the exiled former vice president of Afghanistan and one of the Taliban’s most outspoken opponents, Rubio remarked that such matters would be adjudicated in accordance with U.S. national security interests. Observers see this as a potential signal that Washington may soon adopt a more explicit policy of political engagement with figures aligned against Taliban rule. The discussion follows repeated calls by Rep. Burchett and other lawmakers for the Biden administration to confront the Taliban’s true nature head-on. While the group is not currently designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Haqqani Network a powerful Taliban faction deeply entrenched in the group’s leadership remains on the U.S. terror watchlist. The State Department has placed a $10 million bounty on Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior minister, for information leading to his capture.
Analysts warn that continued hesitation in confronting the Taliban’s authoritarianism only emboldens their violent ideology and deepens Afghanistan’s descent into a state of gender apartheid, ethnic suppression, and extremist revival. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have systematically dismantled the rights of Afghanistani women and girls, silenced the free press, purged ethnic minorities from public life, and allowed terrorist elements to reestablish footholds across the country. Rubio’s comments mark a growing acknowledgment in Washington that two years of so-called “engagement” with the Taliban have yielded little more than broken promises, deepening humanitarian suffering, and increased regional instability. As the Taliban continue to masquerade as a legitimate government while operating with the tactics and ideology of a terror group, the U.S. may soon be forced to abandon its ambiguous stance and confront the regime with the full weight of international law and policy.
