Why did the US withdraw from Syria but not from Afghanistan?
According to senior Afghan officials, if the US withdraws its troops from Afghanistan, it will not affect the country's national security.
The announcement comes amid international media reports that US President Donald Trump plans to withdraw half of the US troops in Afghanistan within a few months. However, the US Department of Defense has not confirmed this information.
Sputnik correspondent discussed this issue with Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis, professor of politics at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, USA.
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| US soldiers. Photo: Reuters |
How do you think the US withdrawal from Afghanistan will affect the situation in this country?
I think that the withdrawal, if it really happens, will have minimal impact on the internal security of the country. It is worth noting that Afghanistan is in a very difficult security situation: the Taliban controls about 55-60% of the country. Almost every day there are reports of Taliban attacks on Afghan government facilities in major cities.
Currently, the military presence of the United States and the international coalition is limited; in fact, their presence is only symbolic and does not have a significant impact on the security situation in Afghanistan.
Do you doubt the US administration's announcement that it is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan?
I would like to remind you that the representatives of the US government have not confirmed the information that has appeared in the US media.
It is also worth remembering that, over the past few years, the Trump administration has made many spontaneous and “unpredictable” statements.
So at this point, this is just press information; it has not been confirmed.
Are there any signs that the US is planning to make such a move?
The US Cabinet is in turmoil. Therefore, it is likely that in the coming weeks, the President will focus his attention on the country's internal problems, and this will directly affect his plans and ambitions regarding international policies.
Additionally, the Taliban has yet to issue an official statement; their reaction to the announcement remains unclear.
If in the near future there are major Taliban attacks, similar to what happened in some parts of Afghanistan, the US will be forced to stay.
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| American soldiers atAfghanistan. Photo: AFP |
What do you think will happen in Afghanistan in the field of security and defense?
There is no doubt that the Afghan government is facing security problems, but, in my opinion, the weakness of the security agencies is not necessarily related to any military failures.
Afghanistan's security forces remain weak and understaffed; some 10,000 soldiers have been killed in combat over the past year, but the main problem is political.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani heads a coalition plagued by infighting, and there is widespread corruption among Kabul's elite.
Therefore, it can be said that the government of this country is far from the daily life of the Afghan people. It is the distance between the rulers and the ordinary people that reduces the attractiveness of the government, and as a result, reduces the defense capacity.
According to you, what made President Donald Trump plan to withdraw half of the US troops in Afghanistan within a few months as reported by the media?
I think this statement shows that the military approach used by Washington as a solution to the security problem in Afghanistan has not brought results.
For 17 years, a US-led coalition along with Afghan government forces has been fighting the Taliban, but today the Taliban are stronger than ever.
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| US troops operating in Afghanistan. Photo: The National Interest |
It is worth noting that President Trump has not always been a supporter of the withdrawal policy. A year ago, he declared that the US was committed to defending Afghanistan and liberating it from the Taliban; since he took office in 2016, the number of US troops has increased from about 8,000 to 14,000.
Eight years ago, in 2010, there were 100,000 American soldiers in Afghanistan, but all these efforts were in vain. If in 2010 the US could not ensure the security of this country with the help of 100,000 soldiers, then I can hardly believe that one-tenth of the number of troops could change the situation.
At present, the White House has two options. The first option is that Washington can significantly increase its military presence in the country (10 times or more), and the second option is to withdraw troops from Afghanistan so as not to distract from the hope of an effective peace process. I think that the President's decision shows that he has chosen the second option.