US promises orderly troop withdrawal

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Biden administration has reiterated its commitment to an orderly withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, an Indian media outlet reported on Wednesday.

The troop pullout would be in consultation with US allies and partners, a spokesman for the State Department promised at a media briefing on Tuesday.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted Ned Price as saying “Afghanistan can never again become a platform for terrorist attacks that would threaten the US or its allies.”

With the May 1 deadline for the exit of US troops drawing closer, he said President Joe Biden wanted to see an end to America’s military presence in Afghanistan.

Price added the secretaries of state and defense, as well as other administration officials had affirmed their commitments to bringing a responsible end to the conflict.

“The international community is similarly united in the belief that there isn’t a military solution to what we have long faced in Afghanistan. It’s a conflict that has to end through a political solution and a comprehensive ceasefire, processes that are Afghan-owned and Afghan-led,” he remarked.

The spokesman offered no update in terms of where Biden could be thinking post May 1 when the US troops are supposed to leave in line with the agreement between the Taliban and the Trump administration.

Price added: “He (Biden) has obviously spoken to this in recent days, in the context of the impending May 1 deadline. What I can say is that any removal of troops would be orderly and informed by consultations with our allies.”

The US wanted to create conditions that were conducive to those peace negotiations moving forward in a constructive manner, the official continued.

“We have also said in the recent days that levels of violence are unacceptably high, and we have consistently called on the Taliban to reduce those levels of violence…” Price concluded.

PAN Monitor/mud

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