March 22, 2021
The US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the Biden administration wants to see “a responsible end” in Afghan war but the level of violence must decrease for “fruitful” diplomacy to have a chance, during his first visit to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief, on March 21, 2021.
“In terms of an end date or setting a specific date for withdrawal, that’s the domain of my boss,” Austin said.
Austin met President Ghani on Sunday afternoon at the Presidential Palace said, where both expressed their concerns over the increase of violence in the country. Ghani and US defense secretary reiterated that enduring and just peace is the main solution for the present situation in Afghanistan, Austin said that the United States is supporting Afghanistan in this regard.
In an interview last week, Biden stated that it will be “tough” for the US to meet the May 1 deadline for troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. He also added that even if the deadline is extended, it wouldn’t be for a “lot longer.”
In the meanwhile, on Friday, the Taliban warned of consequences if the US doesn’t follow the deadline laid down in the agreement. Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban negotiation team, told reporters that if American troops were to stay beyond May 1, “it will be a kind of violation of the agreement. That violation would not be from our side, and their violation will have a reaction.”
With the constant increase in the level of violence in the country, Austin said that US will really like to see a decrease in violence, and if the level of violence does come down, it will begin to set the conditions for some really fruitful diplomatic work.
On Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani in his Nawruz festival message called on the Taliban to end violence and said the group has no legitimacy for the ongoing violence. “Who is giving the legitimacy to (the Taliban) kill of people’s brothers and sisters. Stop it,” Ghani said, requesting Taliban to “come and accept each other.” He further added “We have the capacity to stand on our own feet, but it needs unity,”
“We will achieve peace,” Ghani said, but stressed that it should be a peace that ends bloodshed in the country and a peace with justice.
© Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and Afghan Studies Center (ASC), Islamabad.
