NATO chief says alliance won't remove troops from Afghanistan 'before the time is right'

[DonViejo]

Source: CNN


By Barbara Starr, Ellie Kaufman and Jennifer Hansler, CNN

Updated 10:59 AM ET, Mon February 15, 2021
Stoltenberg: This is a new chapter

Washington (CNN) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg opened the door Monday to the alliance keeping forces in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline when the US had promised to remove its remaining 2,500 troops from the country.

"While no ally wants to stay in Afghanistan longer than necessary, we will not leave before the time is right," Stoltenberg told a press conference in advance of an alliance defense ministers meeting later this week.

Ministers are expected to discuss the fate of US and NATO troops at the meeting but reaching a quick decision on Afghanistan may be difficult given that Biden administration is reviewing how it will move ahead.

NATO, Stoltenberg said, needs to "find the right balance between making sure that we not stay longer than necessary but at the same time that we don't leave too early."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/15/politics/nato-stoltenberg-afghanistan/index.html

[marie999]

1. What does he mean "We will not leave before the time is right."

[Voltaire2]

2. The forever war. nt.

[GentleAlien]

3. hmm...

Yea it's not like the world is facing multiple existential crises in terms of Covid , Climate change etc..

[Miguelito Loveless]

4. 18 years and counting

We will never leave since their is so much profit to me made for the military contractors who run the War Department and US foreign policy.

[Barb arian]

5. I'm in No Rush for a Complete Withdrawal

I remain greatly worried about what will become of women and girls in the country.

[GentleAlien]

6. priorities..

It's simply a matter of priorities. First let's bring our own house in order - imagine the irony that we can't afford universal healthcare to our own people in the middle of a pandemic! isn't it weird that raising the minimum wage requires endless debates, and getting people $2k relief check appears to be such a political struggle. Why should anyone look up to us when we can't fix our own mess first?