Islamic Republic of Afghanistan : News & Discussions
- Thread starter Butter Chicken
- Start date
Doesn't that suit our purpose too if Saleh comes to power. The demographics of the electorate will prevent that though.
Afghan leader rejects foreign interference in country’s fate
Afghan leader rejects foreign interference in country’s fate
APKABUL:, AUGUST 11, 2019 11:13 IST
UPDATED: AUGUST 11, 2019 22:03 IST
Ashraf Ghani spoke during the Muslim holiday Eid-al-Adha and as U.S. and Taliban negotiators continue their work in the Gulf nation of Qatar.
Afghanistan’s president on Sunday rejected foreign interference as the United States and the Taliban appear to be closing in on a peace deal without the Afghan government at the table.
President Ashraf Ghani spoke during the Muslim holiday Eid-al-Adha and as U.S. and Taliban negotiators continue their work in the Gulf nation of Qatar, where the insurgents have a political office.
Speaking after the Eid prayers, Mr. Ghani insisted that next month’s presidential election is essential so that Afghanistan’s leader will have a powerful mandate to decide the country’s future after years of war.
“Our future cannot be decided outside, whether in the capital cities of our friends, nemeses or neighbors. The fate of Afghanistan will be decided here in this homeland,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to intervene in our affairs.”
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is seeking a peace deal by Sept. 1, weeks before the vote. The two sides are expected to agree on the withdrawal of some 20,000 U.S. and NATO troops in return for Taliban guarantees that Afghanistan would not be a base for other extremist groups.
Few details have emerged, but Mr. Khalilzad and the lead Taliban negotiator, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, have been traveling in recent days to brief several countries involved in the process on the latest developments.
The Taliban spokesman in Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, who has said a deal is expected at the end of this round of talks, on Sunday issued an Eid message expressing the hope that Afghanistan “will celebrate future Eids under the Islamic system, without occupation, under an environment of permanent peace and unity.”
The Taliban have refused to negotiate with the Afghan government, dismissing it as a U.S. puppet, and on Tuesday they declared the Sept. 28 election a “sham.” They warned fellow Afghans to stay away from campaign rallies and the polls, saying such gatherings could be targeted. A day later the group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted security forces in Kabul. The attack killed 14 people and wounded 145, most of them civilians.
The Taliban control roughly half of Afghanistan and are at their strongest since the U.S.-led invasion toppled their five-year-old government in 2001 after the group had harbored al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. More than 2,400 U.S. service personnel have died in Afghanistan since then.
Mr. Ghani, stung by being excluded from the peace talks, on Sunday pleaded for national unity.
“Peace is the desire of each Afghan and peace will come, there shouldn’t be any doubt about it,” he said. “But we want a peace in which each Afghan has dignity. We don’t want a peace in which Afghans wouldn’t have dignity. We don’t want a peace that would cause people to leave their country. We don’t want brain drain and we don’t want investment drain.”
A peace deal would be followed by intra-Afghan talks, but it is not clear whether the Taliban would agree to talk to Kabul government members in their official capacity or only as ordinary Afghans, as in the past.
The U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. The American and allied troops that remain are conducting strikes on the Taliban and the local Islamic State affiliate, and working to train and build the Afghan military.
President Donald Trump has publicly expressed his exasperation with America’s continued involvement in Afghanistan and a desire to bring troops home.
Jeff M. Smith (@Cold_Peace_) Tweeted:
"peace in Afghanistan will remain elusive until 'Pakistan’s generals stop believing the cost of peace is higher than the cost of war.' The Trump admin was right to raise the cost of war, suspending aid to Pakistan last year after years of double-dealing."
Playing the Right Hand: US Negotiations With the Taliban ( )
@randomradio ; @Falcon
"peace in Afghanistan will remain elusive until 'Pakistan’s generals stop believing the cost of peace is higher than the cost of war.' The Trump admin was right to raise the cost of war, suspending aid to Pakistan last year after years of double-dealing."
Playing the Right Hand: US Negotiations With the Taliban ( )
@randomradio ; @Falcon
EconomicTimes (@EconomicTimes) Tweeted:
In Pics | Afghan officials: Suicide attack at wedding hall kills 63 Afghan officials: Suicide attack at wedding hall kills 63 - Deadliest attack in Kabul ( )
In Pics | Afghan officials: Suicide attack at wedding hall kills 63 Afghan officials: Suicide attack at wedding hall kills 63 - Deadliest attack in Kabul ( )
Few more attacks like this and the afghan presidential elections will be postponed. Precisely what taliban and Pakistan want. It's anyone's guess who is behind this attack.
Livemint (@livemint) Tweeted:
According to US President @realDonaldTrump, other nations currently are making very less efforts against the terrorists in Afghanistan
India at some point would have to fight against terrorists in Afghanistan: Trump ( )
According to US President @realDonaldTrump, other nations currently are making very less efforts against the terrorists in Afghanistan
India at some point would have to fight against terrorists in Afghanistan: Trump ( )
Trilochana (@Trilochana888) Tweeted:
NUG was working at cross purposes. They're bound to be decimated by Taliban either thru deal or militarily. Shoaib Sharifi on Twitter ( )
NUG was working at cross purposes. They're bound to be decimated by Taliban either thru deal or militarily. Shoaib Sharifi on Twitter ( )
Abhijeet Kar (@karabhijeet_kar) Tweeted:
BIG BREAKING!! IndoPacific_SCS_Info on Twitter ( )
Makes me wonder why was Trump so desperately courting the Taliban & Pakistan when he could've unilaterally withdrawn half his forces. There's a larger game afoot, the contours of which aren't visible as of now.
BIG BREAKING!! IndoPacific_SCS_Info on Twitter ( )
Makes me wonder why was Trump so desperately courting the Taliban & Pakistan when he could've unilaterally withdrawn half his forces. There's a larger game afoot, the contours of which aren't visible as of now.
Nitin Pai (@acorn) Tweeted:
This is the story @anand_arni refuses to tell. How India helped arm Ahmed Shah Massoud’s Northern Alliance in the 1990s. How India secretly armed Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance ( )
This is the story @anand_arni refuses to tell. How India helped arm Ahmed Shah Massoud’s Northern Alliance in the 1990s. How India secretly armed Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance ( )
Been saying this from sometime now, withdrawal never meant leaving Afghanistan, it's just formal ending of Afghan war, completely for domestic politics and maybe for Nobel Peace prize which Trump wants so desperately as Obama got one.
And for this if Taliban is formally handed over power and Afghans can go to hell Trump couldn't care less. He is in here for personal gains, for 2nd term as well as after Presidency. He thinks he is fighting terrorists for others! This is how much he knows/serious about Afghanistan.
Once a formal announcement is made that's it for him, he wins, doesn't matter next 9/11 happens few years later for courting Jihadis, after all Regan too compared Taliban with American freedom fighters and they repayed America few decades laters by killing 3000 civilians.
Rehan khan (@rehankkhanNDS) Tweeted:
Afghan Commandos raid Taliban health facility in Nawa district of Ghazni province, where Pakistani doctors were treating wounded militants, 30 of them killed on the spot (KIA) /ENO/ ( )
Afghan Commandos raid Taliban health facility in Nawa district of Ghazni province, where Pakistani doctors were treating wounded militants, 30 of them killed on the spot (KIA) /ENO/ ( )
Lawrence Sellin (@LawrenceSellin) Tweeted:
Captured Islamic State members received financial support & weapons-training from Pakistan. They have a very functioning channel of communication by road & by other means to Pakistan. Hard & circumstantial evidence indicate an Islamic State-Pakistan link. Have Hard Evidence Linking Pak to ISIS Presence in Region, Says Afghan V-P Hopeful and Ex-Spy Boss ( )
Captured Islamic State members received financial support & weapons-training from Pakistan. They have a very functioning channel of communication by road & by other means to Pakistan. Hard & circumstantial evidence indicate an Islamic State-Pakistan link. Have Hard Evidence Linking Pak to ISIS Presence in Region, Says Afghan V-P Hopeful and Ex-Spy Boss ( )