Why the Biden administration should not sanction the Taliban

Embargoes will almost certainly hurt the people of Afghanistan more than the Taliban itself.

Taliban fighters storm into Kabul International Airport, wielding American weapons, equipment and uniforms after the US withdrawal on 31 August. (Photo by MARCUS YAM / LOS ANGELES TIMES via Getty Images)

On 30 August, the last US troops left Afghanistan. The Taliban celebrated with gunfire and fireworks.

But as Secretary of State Antony Blinken reminded Americans in a public address on the same day, the US may have left Afghanistan, but it has not ended its relationship with the country. The Biden administration now needs to decide the nature of that engagement. As the Taliban moves from insurgency to governance, some in Washington, DC are advocating for sanctions as the most appropriate and effective means of dealing with the Taliban.