US delays troop drawdown in Afghanistan
Obama to take up Taliban peace talks with Nawaz
A file photo of US President Obama PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON:
US President Barack Obama on Thursday extended the timetable to withdraw troops from Afghanistan while offering to take up the issue of resuming peace talks with the Afghan Taliban in his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif next week.
“I will continue to urge all parties in the region to press the Taliban to return to peace talks and to do their part in pursuit of the peace that Afghans deserve,” Obama said of his upcoming meeting.
“By now it should be clear to the Taliban, and all who oppose Afghanistan’s progress, the only real way to achieve the full drawdown of US and foreign troops from Afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement with the Afghan government.”
Nawaz is expected to meet Obama at the White House during his four-day official trip starting from October 20. The two will discuss a host of issues including peace in Afghanistan, cross-border tensions between Pakistan and India, and a prospective nuclear deal. The FO spokesperson had on Thursday said in his weekly briefing that Nawaz and Obama would have wide-ranging talks on bilateral and regional issues.
Pakistan had in July this year helped broker the first bilateral talks between the Afghan Taliban and the government in Kabul. Second round of talks were due to be held when news emerged that Taliban supremo Mullah Omar had died two years ago. The news threw the Taliban into disarray as two factions squabbled over the militant group’s throne. The talks were ultimately scrapped.
Since then, the Taliban have gone on to expand their campaign in Afghanistan, striking at targets in Kabul and even managed to briefly capture the northern town of Kunduz.
Earlier this week, Nawaz had said that he “wants to bring the Taliban back to the negotiation table.”
Slower drawdown
Obama also abandoned his plans to leave just a small, embassy based force of around 1,000 personnel in Kabul beyond 2016. “As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again.”
Citing an Afghan force which is “still not as strong as they need to be“, the US President said that the level of 9,800 troops will be maintained through most of 2016.
“I have decided that instead of going down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul by the end of 2016, we will maintain 5,500 troops at a small number of bases.” Obama also acknowledged efforts of Pakistan, which had in June 2014 launched a massive military operation in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, codenamed Operation Zarb-e-Azb. “Pressure from Pakistan has resulted in more al Qaeda coming into Afghanistan.”
The US President, however, added that safe havens cannot remain.
Taliban reject ‘military solution’
As Obama announced to extend stay of US troops in Afghanistan, the Taliban responded that a “military solution is not a way out of the Afghan issue.”
“The Islamic Emirate believes that military solution is not a way out of the Afghan issue. We believe that when Afghans are convinced, regarding the end of occupation and withdrawal of foreign troops, then all problems could be easily solved through intra-Afghan understanding and dialogue,” the Afghan Taliban said in a statement.
“To end fighting, we are ready to initiate meaningful negotiations with all concerned sides.”
The group, however, renewed some of its longstanding conditions for talks, including what they call US-led “occupation” of Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2015.
US President Barack Obama on Thursday extended the timetable to withdraw troops from Afghanistan while offering to take up the issue of resuming peace talks with the Afghan Taliban in his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif next week.
“I will continue to urge all parties in the region to press the Taliban to return to peace talks and to do their part in pursuit of the peace that Afghans deserve,” Obama said of his upcoming meeting.
“By now it should be clear to the Taliban, and all who oppose Afghanistan’s progress, the only real way to achieve the full drawdown of US and foreign troops from Afghanistan is through a lasting political settlement with the Afghan government.”
Nawaz is expected to meet Obama at the White House during his four-day official trip starting from October 20. The two will discuss a host of issues including peace in Afghanistan, cross-border tensions between Pakistan and India, and a prospective nuclear deal. The FO spokesperson had on Thursday said in his weekly briefing that Nawaz and Obama would have wide-ranging talks on bilateral and regional issues.
Pakistan had in July this year helped broker the first bilateral talks between the Afghan Taliban and the government in Kabul. Second round of talks were due to be held when news emerged that Taliban supremo Mullah Omar had died two years ago. The news threw the Taliban into disarray as two factions squabbled over the militant group’s throne. The talks were ultimately scrapped.
Since then, the Taliban have gone on to expand their campaign in Afghanistan, striking at targets in Kabul and even managed to briefly capture the northern town of Kunduz.
Earlier this week, Nawaz had said that he “wants to bring the Taliban back to the negotiation table.”
Slower drawdown
Obama also abandoned his plans to leave just a small, embassy based force of around 1,000 personnel in Kabul beyond 2016. “As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again.”
Citing an Afghan force which is “still not as strong as they need to be“, the US President said that the level of 9,800 troops will be maintained through most of 2016.
“I have decided that instead of going down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul by the end of 2016, we will maintain 5,500 troops at a small number of bases.” Obama also acknowledged efforts of Pakistan, which had in June 2014 launched a massive military operation in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, codenamed Operation Zarb-e-Azb. “Pressure from Pakistan has resulted in more al Qaeda coming into Afghanistan.”
The US President, however, added that safe havens cannot remain.
Taliban reject ‘military solution’
As Obama announced to extend stay of US troops in Afghanistan, the Taliban responded that a “military solution is not a way out of the Afghan issue.”
“The Islamic Emirate believes that military solution is not a way out of the Afghan issue. We believe that when Afghans are convinced, regarding the end of occupation and withdrawal of foreign troops, then all problems could be easily solved through intra-Afghan understanding and dialogue,” the Afghan Taliban said in a statement.
“To end fighting, we are ready to initiate meaningful negotiations with all concerned sides.”
The group, however, renewed some of its longstanding conditions for talks, including what they call US-led “occupation” of Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2015.