The US military is responding to Congress on the incident in Afghanistan. But the question on Pakistan still missing

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TeaThis is not a good time for the US military or its image. The US Congress is asking some tough questions regarding the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, which has not only affected Afghans, but several thousand Americans left behind. Recent Testimony by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark A. Milley, and General Kenneth McKenzie, who oversaw the withdrawal, indicated not only the extent of the disaster they left behind, but also a series that was liberally described as systemic. The shortcomings can be called downright ambiguity. A strange silence on the ‘fall’ of the Afghan military, and on the root of the problem, which is Pakistan’s role. Overall, this is a serious account made by men in uniform, and will not be taken lightly.

NS Present problem in afghanistan

Discussions during the session of the Armed Services Committee served to highlight that US officials are ignorant of the realities of the Afghan war and its present dangers. Senator Jim Inhofe sees the Taliban in a stronger position than ever before; Terrorists with ties to al-Qaeda hold senior government positions; that the Americans have been left behind; that the terrorist threat has increased; And above all “we are at the mercy of the Government of Pakistan to enter Afghan airspace”.

Worse yet, the US cannot actually strike major targets, because there are still Americans in Afghanistan. The suicide bomber who targeted the Kabul airport knew his way. The more Americans and weaker Afghans are left behind, the better the bargaining position for the Taliban. To make it worse, on 14 September 2021 the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Having said“We are already starting to see some signs of some possible movement of al Qaeda in Afghanistan.” In other words, it just isn’t bad. It is destructive.

Read also: Taliban support in Pakistan now surpasses that of army and clerics

The army that ‘melted’

Subsequent evidence is unmodified. Everyone is blaming the other, but also the military establishment indirectly. Defense Secretary Austin discussed several exercises conducted for “NEO” (non-combat evacuation) and stated that he had three infantry battalions and later another 3,000 deployed and so on. The holes in his argument were evident, praising the proficiency of his soldiers in the exercise. A commonly cited ‘surprise’ was that Afghan soldiers ‘melted’. Worse was his statement that Afghan soldiers did not care enough to defend their country.

Apparently, he had not heard John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, who March 2021 Said that if the 18,000 contractors who mostly did supply chain and maintenance work for the Afghan army were withdrawn, the Afghan army would collapse quite easily. Sopco also pointed out that self-reliance is rapidly declining. in another report JulyIn particular, the inspection agency pointed to over-optimism in its assessment of Afghan security forces and their capabilities, with programs considered “successful” even if they have not achieved desired goals. This report was prophetic, proved to be a month later. So, ‘surprise’ is over.

Then there are the charges of melting. There is no doubt that Ashraf Ghani shifts defense ministers like pieces of chess, but on the ground, Video Show that the soldiers were ready to dig in and fight. Intelligence should have warned that Taliban leaders are negotiating deals with local commanders after the Doha accord. One more clue. Three years ago advisors attached to Afghan security forces were withdrawn. The assessments were, therefore, accurate, with no data off the ground.

Then there’s a frank question from a senator who clearly knew his job. That question was simple. Has the Doha Agreement lowered the morale of the ANA? The answer was clearly ‘yes’. So, the bottom line is that the collapse of the ANA should not have been surprising. This one should have been given.

Read also: The secret of how Pakistan leaves every time

that messy drain

then there is General Miles testimony, which clearly indicated his assessment in November 2020 that “a quick withdrawal without meeting specific and necessary conditions risks … a general collapse of the ANSF and the Afghan government resulting in a complete Taliban takeover or general civil war.” Happened.” Many times, senators ask if they had any reason to change their opinion. With General Mackenzie increasing the required number to 4,500, he did neither, and neither did any of the others differ.

In other words, President Joe Biden ignored the advice of his generals and went ahead with pulling out the entire army, despite his determination to do the exact opposite, leaving American citizens behind. 8 June. Biden and his team had the option of rejecting the Doha Agreement, which was ultimately against US laws that prohibit any dealings with a designated terrorist group. Not only did they not, but as General Milley puts it, the US fully adhered to its agreements with the Taliban, with the understanding that sticking to it would result in casualties. In other words, he left behind about 4,000 or more Americans to be on his side of the agreement.

The Taliban did nothing of the sort. It persisted not only on al-Qaeda – as noted by the Secretary of Defense June – It also refused the second part of ‘inter-related’ Doha Agreement, to start intra-Afghan talks. While much of the Donald Trump administration was to blame for this ridiculous agreement, the truth is that politics triumphed over truth, as it does every time, everywhere. This is a fact, but the American image has suffered a serious setback.

Read also: If ‘Pakistan’s approval’ is difficult to get, the UN may go for the military and the Taliban

pakistan forever

The most interesting part of the proceedings was that the generals were completely silent on Pakistan, a topic raised only by the senators, who underscored the long history of Pakistani support to the Taliban. His second concern was the possibility of Pakistani nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. It is a gimmick spread by Pakistani scholars themselves over the years, thus ensuring America’s ‘interest’ and wealth. The truth is that there is no such threat, as Pakistan’s military is a highly professional one, and also for a number of technical reasons, including nuclear weapons never being stocked with missiles. That didn’t stop an expert John Bolton Reiterating it recently, saying that the threat of Pakistan’s weapons falling into terrorist hands was a ‘major reason’ for not withdrawing from Afghanistan. Perhaps he meant that terrorists were already in power.

Next comes two interesting things from the generals. First, that “to reach Afghanistan (for counter-terrorist attack), you have to fly over Pakistan unless you come from the north and this is a matter of constant discussion with Pakistan…. Previous In 20 years (we’ve used) to go the air route… it’s become something that’s important to us as well some landlines of communication. We will be working with the Pakistanis over the coming days and weeks to see what this relationship is going to look like…” Then to General Milley: “There are a whole range of issues that have national security interests for the United States of America. are best handled in a separate session”. In other words, when Pakistan came, the generals clashed with each other.

consider this also read out About Foreign Minister Antony Blinken’s meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Comments East. President Biden may not have picked up the phone to speak to Prime Minister Imran Khan, but the two representatives continue to talk. another five hours testimony Blinken shows bipartisan anger and questions over American leniency to a fake Pakistan for decades, with an angry senator suggesting the money should go to India.

Here is worse. declassification of documents in National Security Archives It shows that the policy makers of Donald Rumsfelt were well aware of Pakistan’s role as an important base for Afghanistan. Nobody did anything about it, apparently because “American interests” were at stake. Looks like those interests are still very much alive and well. One of them is certainly its reliance on Pakistan for early warning of terrorist activity. But that alone doesn’t explain Washington’s 20-year-old allowing Pakistan to be both. ‘Firefighters and arsonists’. Many countries, especially China, should carefully consider the interests that bind the US and Pakistan so tightly together. It can just lead to a very unpleasant surprise. And no, no ‘surprise’ like the fall of the Afghan army. It was not a matter of surprise; Bus facility.

The author is a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi. She tweets @kartha_tara. Thoughts are personal.

(edited by Prashant)

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