Expecting to see a lot more of this in the coming months. People who cannot even imagine a deal with the Taliban will push conspiracies and try to associate the Taliban with foreign powers. The reason is clear. /1 https://twitter.com/BashirSafiAFG/status/1254379080385998848

As the Afghan govt hurtles towards irrelevancy, with international partners talking to the Taliban, the only source of legitimacy for Ghani and co is eroding. The solution seems to be rebrand as a nationalist fighting foreign influence and try to flip the narrative. /2

Now, apparently, Taliban are the US/Pakistan/Iran/Russian backed stooges. This is being claimed by a govt and a president that cannot supply fuel to his own capital for longer than a few months without US and Indian aid. /3

This thread by @awsanzar looks at the historical examples of a similar shift by governments flailing near what is often the end of the line for them. https://twitter.com/awsanzar/status/1242243998468788228?s=20