The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan ended on Monday, August 30, 2021. On Tuesday 31 August Mr. Biden in his message to the U.S. nation declared the planning of leaving Afghanistan was made by the U.S. military commanders on ground and that it had successfully ended. The Washington Post, however, says Biden’s announcement of a successful U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is a cover-up over the scandalous turmoil and lack of comprehensive planning at Kabul airport, which left at least 13 U.S. military personnel and 170 other military and civilians dead (1).
The wrong decision making should not be placed on the military personnel, who when their lives were in danger, managed to evacuate more than 120,000 personnel and civilians from Kabul airport, in two weeks. This heroism act by the U.S. military personnel is worthy of praise. Negotiations for withdrawal began under the former President, Mr. Trump, but it was Mr. Biden’s announcement of the withdrawal that caused the chaotic situation in Kabul’s airport
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair rightly stated, “Leaving Afghanistan was neither in the interests of the Afghan people nor in our interests,” and that “Russia, China and Iran will take advantage of this unnecessary withdrawal, and from now on, whoever receives commitments from western leaders will consider it unsustainable.” Mr. Blair considered the withdrawal dangerous, and unnecessary and condemned it.
In this regard, Iran News Agency, IRNA, on behalf of Russian politician and senator Alexei Pushkov, wrote on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, that “the defeat of the United States in Afghanistan, liken to the defeat in Vietnam, and will have psychological consequences for the United States”. The main characteristic of this syndrome (a disease symptom) is the loss of trust in the military capability and efficiency of U.S. actions in this country and around the world.
Further, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, Mr. Biden in his speech focused on the courage of the U.S. military forces for the purposes of shifting the blame of the “defeat” away from himself and his cabinet. He said that the commander in chief of the U.S. military forces and the military commanders at the operational level, all agreed that the best course of action is leaving Afghanistan as quickly as possible. It is fact that, Mr. Biden caved into Taliban ultimatum for evacuation by August 31 ignoring the nominated date of September 11, which was set by Mr. Biden.
Withdrawal from Afghanistan has been so farcing that Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid. expressed his gratitude to the gift of God after the Kabul airport was vacated by the U.S. military personnel. He was so excited that further stated “the Taliban has agreed to issue exit visa for all foreigners and Afghans who wish to leave Afghanistan. “Of course, no one can trust Taliban’s promises, however, Mujahid’s statement is at odds with that of the Taliban deputy commander, who truly said Afghanistan needs all scholars, technocrats and technical experts to enable to manage the country.
The Taliban has not yet come up with any plan to govern Afghanistan! Yesterday, September 7, 2021, the Taliban announced the interim government, including Mohammad Hassan Akhund, prime minister, Abdul Ghani Baradar, as deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani, interior minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub, defense minister and Mawloy Amir Khan Mottaghi as acting foreign secretary. It can be seen that there is no technocrats or tribal leaders included in this interim cabinet. Since Taliban took control of Afghanistan, former President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah have been negotiating with Taliban to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan, but with the announced interim cabinet, an inclusive government by Taliban is only a dreamed hope.
Without a comprehensive plan to form an inclusive government, Afghanistan will once again become a breeding base for terrorists like al-Qaeda. Amin al-Haq, a former aide to Osama bin Laden, a senior al-Qaeda leader, returned to his city in Nangarhar Province (Turabura) on Monday, August 30, 2021. The place he has returned to is where Osama bin Laden led al-Qaeda’s terrorist operations. This is a very good indication that there are no restrictions on al-Qaeda operatives and jihadist for returning to Afghanistan.
As we have already mentioned, the U.S. chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan is only the beginning. The Western world should now be concerned with their security inside their countries and abroad.
Finally, accusing military personnel for “defeat in Afghanistan” by Mr. Biden is very unfair and unethical. Furthermore, the scandalous decision by Mr. Biden and his cabinet for the untimely withdrawal of U.S. troops has created a very unhealthy and insecure situation across the Middle East and by enlarge across the whole world.
Commander Mohammad Farsi
September 8, 2021
(1)- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/30/afghanistan-kabul-taliban-live-updates/?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_news__alert-world–alert-national&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJjb29raWVuYW1lIjoid3BfY3J0aWQiLCJpc3MiOiJDYXJ0YSIsImNvb2tpZXZhbHVlIjoiNTk2YjdmMTI5YmJjMGY0MDNmOTFlYTA2IiwidGFnIjoid3BfbmV3c19hbGVydF9yZXZlcmUiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vd29ybGQvMjAyMS8wOC8zMC9hZmdoYW5pc3Rhbi1rYWJ1bC10YWxpYmFuLWxpdmUtdXBkYXRlcy8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1hbGVydCZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj13cF9uZXdzX2FsZXJ0X3JldmVyZSZsb2NhdGlvbj1hbGVydCZ3cG1rPTEmd3Bpc3JjPWFsX25ld3NfX2FsZXJ0LXdvcmxkLS1hbGVydC1uYXRpb25hbCJ9.yjl2L95LBirRKauzhTf2nyHOC6cwwEyn8f_pNWN9MyU
