Pentagon chief makes surprise stop in Afghanistan as generals warn of premature drawdown

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico


President Joe Biden has not yet made a decision on whether to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1, a deadline he inherited from the Trump administration.

By LARA SELIGMAN

03/21/2021 09:29 AM EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a surprise stop in Afghanistan on Sunday, his first as Pentagon chief, as top generals warned that the country could fall into chaos if U.S. troops withdraw prematurely.

Austin, near the end of a weeklong trip, was greeted by Gen. Scott Miller, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, after arriving at the military headquarters here.

President Joe Biden has not yet made a decision on whether to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by May 1, the deadline stipulated by an agreement he inherited from the Trump administration. But as the clock ticks down, meeting that deadline seems increasingly less feasible; Biden himself said a complete U.S. withdrawal by that date would be “tough.”

If the American pullout goes ahead before diplomatic efforts between the Taliban and the Afghan government to end the conflict yield results, fighting will intensify across the country and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s government could lose its fragile hold on key areas, Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said in an interview this week.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/21/pentagon-austin-afghanistan-surprise-stop-477375

[ananda]

1. Doing due diligence...

sounds good to me.

Adults are now in charge.

[Polybius]

2. Warmonger generals want war forever

Stop listening to them. Pull out now.

[christx30]

3. Yeah. We've been there nearly 20 years.

Wtf more do they want?

[McKim]

4. I Hope that This Results in Our Leaving Afghanistan

These military are loathe to admit that they ever made a mistake. They want those war dollars to keep rolling in Afghanistan. They need those medals, they need something to do and that means investments in military bases and keeping hostilities going. Let's see what are the excuses? We have to stay in because: 1.we are just about to turn it around. 2. We have to support the government or it will fall to the savages and their un democratic ways. 3.We are defending Democracy or Fighting to Protect our Freedumbs. And when all those fails: 4. We are fighting for womens liberation. Remember, War is expensive and its why we can't have nice things here like they do in Europe: Health Care, Public Housing, Public Transport, Cheap Higher Education, Infrastructure and Family Benefits and Day Care. I hope that Biden and his cabinet will pull out and end this war and refugee crisis.