First appeared at Sputnik
The Taliban has recently sent a new letter to President Trump, warning him against sending more troops to Afghanistan and demanding a full US withdrawal from the country. Sputnik Afghanistan discussed with Afghan political analysts whether it will force the US leader to alter his new, yet-to-be-announced policy for the Asian country.
On Sunday, the Taliban radical movement released a new open letter to President Donald Trump, calling for a full withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan, claiming that the ongoing violence in the country has a direct link to the presence of the foreign forces, which it calls “occupation forces.”
It also said that the war in Afghanistan is being used in their own interest and accused the US-led coalition for the destruction of Afghanistan that has turned the country as one of the worst in terms of security, governance, and economy.
The Taliban’s new letter has been released as the Trump administration is currently reviewing its Afghanistan policy.
Sputnik Afghanistan discussed with Afghan political analysts whether it will force the US leader to alter its plans for the Asian country.
“Afghanistan is currently in the center of attention of world and regional powers – the US, NATO member states, Russia and its allies India and China. However we can’t deny that from the economic point of view, the US and other NATO member states are bearing major expenses in our country. They vowed to provide assistance to Afghanistan until 2020,” political analyst Ruhollah Ahmadzai told Sputnik.
He further noted that the war in Afghanistan has turned into a big headache for the US and its European allies because their calculations, which they made 17 years ago, have failed.
With regards to the Taliban’s letter to Trump, the political analyst said that it reflects more the will of Pakistan and its intelligence services rather than any desires of the Taliban. Thus this letter does not actually matter to the White House.
Ruhollah Ahmadzai also commented on the possible increase of the US contingent in his country.
On August 3, US Sen. Lindsey Graham said the United States could turn the tide of the war in Afghanistan with just 3,000-4,000 additional troops and boosted air capacity.
Last week, US Sen. In July, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said the Pentagon was close to completing its policy review for a new strategy in Afghanistan.
“The suggested increase of the US troops in Afghanistan should become a topic for discussion between the American and Afghan political analysts,” Ruhollah Ahmadzai told Sputnik.
He further explained that if the US increases its contingent, it will be the repetition of the bloody events which happened 17 years ago and won’t contribute to the fight against terrorism. What the US should really do, he said, is hold Pakistan accountable for its 22-year-long subversive activities in Afghanistan. It should study all the documental evidence of the UN and US intelligence services. Through intermediary of the US, all countries should condemn the criminal activities of Pakistan and isolate this country.
When asked if the Taliban is able to overtake Afghanistan once again, the political analyst said that the military and political situation in the country is different from what it was 17 years ago,
“Our army has become better and stronger, our provinces become more secure. Our army is able to rebuff the attacks of terrorist groups which are being sent from abroad,” he said.
According to political analyst Nasir Torki, the letter to Trump contains nothing new.
“For 15 years Taliban has been putting forward the same very demands. However we should not dismiss the fact that this movement has recently strengthened militarily and has got new political backers,” he told Sputnik.
However if the Afghan security forces get considerable financial support, he said, they will be able to help the Afghan government to drive from the deadlock of the ongoing war.
Meanwhile, US Department of State spokeswoman Heather Nauert has commented on the letter.
“What is going on in Afghanistan is a result of the Taliban. We’ve seen, and there was a report out not that long ago, about the increase in attacks on civilians, which largely included women and children. That is being perpetrated by members of the Taliban,” she was quoted as saying by Kabul-based Khaama Press news agency.
“Let’s not lose focus that the Taliban is behind many of those attacks, many of the increase in civilian casualties. That undermines the Afghan population and also the Afghan Government as well, so let’s not lose focus of that,” she added.
In the letter to the US President Taliban however claimed that the ongoing insurgency led by the group “has a national resistance and is properly administered politically and militarily, insisting that in absence of such an administration the violence could further spread to the region and across the globe.”