West going to end up recognizing Taliban: Former UK defence chief David Richards

London [UK], February 8 : UK's former chief of defence David Richards on Tuesday said that the West will recognize Taliban sooner or later and urged governments to be "magnanimous in defeat."
"I think the West is going to end up recognizing the Taliban government. If that's the case, then we'd better get on with it quicker, sooner rather than later. There's a great phrase to be magnanimous in victory. I think this is an occasion for us to be magnanimous in defeat," said Richards to a UK-based media, reported The Khaama Press.
Richards warned that it was time to accept that the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan has been lost and that the United States must start working with the new leadership for the sake of the Afghan people.
David Richards has also acknowledged that there are elements inside the Taliban that the UK can work with them and said that the Taliban are now leaders of Afghanistan and they are responsible for 40 million people, reported Tolo News.
The call for recognizing the Taliban comes as no country has yet come forward and the country is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis over half of the population in need of assistance and eight million more starving.
Taliban, who are desperate to seek international recognition, and have time and again been reminded that respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community.