Nicholson and Hugo Llorens, the U.S. Embassy’s Special Chargé d’Affaires, told reporters in the capital Kabul that President Donald Trump’s new strategy for Afghanistan announced Monday was a promise to Afghans that together they would defeat terrorism and prevent terrorist groups from establishing safe havens.
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Earlier this week, Trump assigned a “critical” role for India in his country’s South Asia strategy for fighting terrorism, building up a safe Afghanistan and appealed for help, while at the same time warning Pakistan of repercussions for the double game of unleashing terrorists against the Afghans and the U.S. while collecting billions from Washington.
“There’s been an erosion in trust because we have witnessed terrorist organizations being given a safe haven inside of Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against USA servicemen, U.S. officials, disrupting peace efforts inside of Afghanistan”. And Tillerson added that, “the only way we can defeat an enemy that is as nimble and as cagey, tactically, as this enemy is, we have to be as cagey and tactical as they are”.
The spokesperson said the yesterday’s National Security Committee’s meeting vivifies Pakistan’s stance on the USA policy. Analysts have conjectured that Pakistan may be left with no options but to side with China in a wider global struggle while Indian lines up with Washington.
“The government of Pakistan should quit the alliance for war against so-called terrorism”, Haq added.
Stressing on the need for effective border management between the two countries, General Bajwa said that Pakistan has taken measures in this respect, which include the establishment of new border posts and forts. Realistically speaking, the United States needs Pakistan now that it has made a decision to increase its troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and the US have established back-channel contacts to resolve differences over key issues after US President Donald Trump singled out Islamabad for supporting terrorism.
He said Mr Trump’s speech was a rude awakening for Pakistani military and intelligence services, who “keep betraying” the United States while accepting billions in aid from Washington.
As of right now, the US has a little more than 8,000 troops in Afghanistan.
The US recognises that Pakistan has legitimate security interest in the future of Afghanistan and that what happens in Afghan impacts Pak. “This policy announcement … is proof of our continued commitment”, he said. “It is time we recognise that”, he said.
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“China is the shield now behind which Pakistan can be expected to continue to play its double game”, said Harsh Pant, an worldwide relations professor at King’s College London. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai called it a formula based on “killing, killing, killing”. Acknowledging India’s role in Afghanistan is not going to impact our ability to work with Pakistan. He says that “what’s most important for us now is to get some capabilities in to have an impact on the current fighting season”.
