Afghanistan … Biden sees difficulty in withdrawing US forces on specified date



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The commander of the US Special Operations Command, Gen. Richard Clark, said the Taliban failed to deliver on their promise to reduce violence and took a deliberate and selective approach to violence.

US President Joe Biden said Thursday that it is difficult for the United States to meet the date for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan on May 1, while a prominent member of the House of Representatives revealed that the Biden administration is discussing a agreement in which the Taliban will allow a US counterterrorism force to remain in the country.

Biden said in his first official press conference at the White House in his capacity as president that he does not intend to keep US forces in Afghanistan for long, nor does he expect troops to remain in Afghanistan next year, but indicated the difficulty meeting. the date for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan for tactical reasons.

In the same context, the commander of the United States Special Operations Command, General Richard Clark, said during a hearing at the Senate Defense and National Security Committee that the Taliban did not fulfill their promise to reduce violence, but did not attack American forces. He added that he had taken a deliberate and selective approach to violence.

He expressed concern about the increase in violence by the Taliban in the past two months, who had witnessed killings among Afghan civil society leaders.

He noted the need for the capabilities that the United States provides to Afghans so that they can fight the Taliban and other threats.

House Armed Forces Committee Chairman Adam Smith said the Biden administration is trying to keep forces in Afghanistan beyond the scheduled deadline for their withdrawal, and is also studying a deal in which the Taliban will allow a US counterterrorism force to remain in the country.

Smith believes there is widespread sentiment that the May 1 date is premature, with US forces keeping around 3,500 troops in Afghanistan and its allies having around 7,000.

“You cannot withdraw more than 10,000 soldiers under any circumstances in 6 weeks,” he added. He said the administration’s “first task” was to talk to the Taliban about keeping the US-led forces a little longer in Afghanistan.

CBS News reported that the military presented several options, including withdrawing forces on or around May 1, or keeping forces in Afghanistan indefinitely or maintaining forces for a period to be determined by Biden, which could include a 6 month extension.

Taliban political bureau spokesman Muhammad Naeem said there is no official position or announcement on the non-withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan on the specified date.

Naeem, who is a member of the Taliban delegation in the negotiations, explained that this issue was resolved in the Doha Agreement and that the movement is committed to it, noting that the other party’s denial will create problems, as Ponlo .

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