Why do the Taliban release photos of interactions with senior US leaders before the US says anything? Some say it is for int’l legitimacy but I think it is more domestic politics, to boast proximity to “power” to Afghan gov’t, pro-gov’t groups, unaligned factions, & own movement. https://twitter.com/suhailshaheen1/status/1290338438995222531

Part of the boasting logic maybe just that, to boast, but equally plausible that the Taliban are using it to improve movement’s cohesion, generate bandwagoning effects and induce defections from gov’t/security forces.

From photos to violence, it seems that the Taliban have a political strategy which is improving their leverage for intra-Afghan. The Afghan gov’t, other political elites need to step up their politics before and during intra-Afghan talks.