U.S. preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in initial deal with Taliban
Source: Washington Post
The Trump administration is preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in exchange for concessions from the Taliban, including a cease-fire and a renunciation of al-Qaeda, as part of an initial deal to end the nearly 18-year-old war, U.S. officials say. The agreement, which would require the Taliban to begin negotiating a larger peace deal directly with the Afghan government, could cut the number of American troops in the country from roughly 14,000 to between 8,000 and 9,000, the officials said. That number would be nearly the same as when Donald Trump took office.
The plan has taken shape after months of negotiations between the Taliban and Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born American diplomat who was appointed by the Trump administration last year to jump-start talks. Officials said an agreement could be finalized ahead of the Afghan presidential election in September, though they cautioned that Taliban leaders could delay and that significant challenges remain.
The proposal is likely to be viewed skeptically by some U.S. and Afghan officials who question the Talibans honesty and wonder how the United States can verify whether Taliban leaders are following through. But if approved, it would be one of the most significant steps toward ending the war, a goal that increasingly has bipartisan support.
I would say that they are 80 or 90 percent of the way there, said one official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of the emerging deal. But there is still a long way to go on that last 10 or 20 percent. A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, declined to comment about the likelihood of an initial agreement. In a brief telephone interview Thursday, he said he did not know when talks would resume. We are hopeful, he said. Things look promising that there will be a breakthrough. We hope there wont be any obstacle, but it also depends on the seriousness of the Americans.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-preparing-to-withdraw-thousands-of-troops-from-afghanistan-in-initial-deal-with-taliban/2019/08/01/01e97126-b3ac-11e9-8f6c-7828e68cb15f_story.html
msongs
(67,420 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,144 posts)And when the withdrawal of all Western troops has been achieved the Taliban, which likely has already infiltrated the Afghan government, will once again take over and the world will see the reemergence of both Al-Qaeda and ISIL.
The Taliban will receive support from the same countries that supported them before 9/11...and possibly Russia and China!
Besides under Islamic belief...an agreement with unbelievers means less then nothing!!!!
DavidDvorkin
(19,480 posts)With a bit of face saving.
harumph
(1,905 posts)Taliban can't be trusted - it's a bullshit deal. Just like all of T's deals.
Shitty - shitty - deal.
christx30
(6,241 posts)the trillions that have been spent in the last 18 years, what do we have to gain by spending more? How long and how much money should we spend to fix what the last 18 years couldnt fix? Let the Afghanis spend their own money and lives to defeat the Taliban, if its what they want. If the legitimate government isnt strong enough to stop them, the US being there will never work in the long term.
This is why a one world government would never work. Too many people are stuck in backwards cultures that dont recognize equality. Their cultures are stuck in the 5th century. And you cant force it. Its just not possible. No matter how much money you throw at it.
former9thward
(32,028 posts)How many more lives it is worth?
bluestarone
(16,980 posts)I believe he would use them to get votes in 2020! If he does bring home troops it's because he thinks more people will vote for him and THAT'S the only reason!
keithbvadu2
(36,829 posts)T-r-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-s-t me!
htuttle
(23,738 posts)Playing the part of the Hmong this time are the Hazaras. And all of the women.
Astraea
(468 posts)And now we're making deals with the enemy.
Un-fucking-believable.
former9thward
(32,028 posts)Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)This is a dark day.
Jake Stern
(3,145 posts)How many more lives and how much more money do we have to sink into that Central Asian sandbox before it becomes apparent that the only options are to tuck tail and leave like the Soviets or to get a Nixonian "peace with honor" and withdraw with some semblance of dignity?