At least 11 members of the US House of Representatives wrote a letter to President Joe Biden about the “enduring interests and ideals that should continue to guide US efforts in Afghanistan even as the armed forces end their mission in the country.”
The lawmakers said they hope President Biden will continue to make clear that America’s policy in Afghanistan is to ensure the survival and success of that government and of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, and to stand by those Afghans who “bet their lives on the future the US promised them.”
US Representatives Tom Malinowski, Jim Langevin, Mike Waltz, Stephanie Murphy, William R. Keating, Chrissy Houlahan, Colin Allred, Dean Phillips, David Cicilline, Gerald E. Connolly and Bill Foster all signed the letter.
The lawmakers mentioned that the capabilities of Afghanistan’s security forces will determine whether the Taliban succeeds in “reimposing medieval rule over Afghanistan’s 40 million people; whether al Qaeda and Daesh reestablish terrorist sanctuary there; and whether the country once again unravels in civil war.”
“If there is any prospect of a just peaceful settlement in Afghanistan, moreover, it will happen only after the Afghan military demonstrates to the Taliban that their insurgency will not triumph on the battlefield,” the lawmakers said.
They said that given the extraordinary importance of the Afghan army and the multi-year international investment in its development, “we need a strategy to sustain our Afghan military partners once our own troops are gone.”
They also said that Afghans have long borne the overwhelming brunt of the counterterrorism fight in their country, they remain heavily dependent on US and international enablers, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and maintenance and repair for their equipment.
“While most of these functions are being provided by contractors, the Taliban-US agreement will compel their departure as well,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that “there have also been reports that Turkey is considering removing their security forces that currently protect Kabul International Airport.”
“We would support continued US funding to help Afghanistan maintain critical military capabilities. As you know, the Taliban-US agreement prohibits the United States from hiring contractors or US sending uniformed personnel to assist the Afghans,” the lawmakers said.
The lawmakers believe that the Afghan government is still permitted to hire its own contractors.
US lawmakers said that the Taliban continue its efforts to remove the Afghan government by force, adding that it is time to consider a tougher approach against its international backers, including potential sanctions.
This comes as US has started the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan after 20 years of engagement. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, on Tuesday said that the prediction that the Taliban will quickly overrun Afghan forces and conquer Kabul after full US withdrawal are unduly pessimistic.
“I personally believe that the statements that their forces will disintegrate and the Talibs will take over in short order are mistaken,” Khalilzad told the House Foreign Affairs Committee as quoted in a report by AP.
Violence has remained high in the country even after a three-day ceasefire from May 12 to May 15. The Defense Ministry reported clashes in 18 provinces just a day after the ceasefire ended.
Khalilzad said that the Afghan government and the Taliban should do their part in the peace process. He stressed the need for Pakistan’s role in the peace efforts in Afghanistan.
