The mass resignation of top Afghan security officials, and the subsequent refusal of the president to accept those resignations, is raising a lot of questions within Afghanistan. In particular, reports that President Ghani ordered the resignations in the first place, then declined them, has many doubting what he’s hoping to accomplish.
The situation started early Saturday, with the resignation of national security adviser Hanif Atmar. It was speculated that Atmar, who cited “serious” policy differences with Ghani, is planning to run for president in 2019.
Later Saturday, three more officials resigned. Those included Defense Minister Tariq Bahrami, Interior Minister Wais Barmak, and NDS chief Masoom Stanekzai. Reportedly, the three were ordered to submit resignation letters by President Ghani.
This would’ve made sense if Ghani wanted to purge his security leadership, but by Sunday morning, it was announced that Ghani refused to accept the resignation of those three, and told them to continue their duties for the “betterment of the security situation.”
Ghani’s advisers had suggested the resignations were initially sought because of the mounting failures in the security sector. Ghani is facing growing pressure from the public over such failures, and his inability to tackle such problems.
Analysts have warned Ghani’s credibility is badly damaged, and that now the credibility of the rest of the security leadership are too, since they’re seen as wanting to resign, and practically one foot out the door.
The Taliban has continued to seize territory across Afghanistan, and holds more now than at any time since the 2001 US invasion.
Apparently these “officials” of a govt “elected” under a foreign military occupation are doing the only thing they can that will bring security back to Afghanistan: let the Taliban win.
Security? What security.
Stripes, Jul 31: The Afghan government controlled or influenced about 56 percent of the country’s 407 districts as of May 15, the same number as last quarter.
Last November General John Nicholson, citing counter-insurgency doctrine, said gaining 80 percent control of the country would represent a turning point in the 16-year-old conflict, which has become the longest U.S war. “This we believe is the critical mass necessary to drive the enemy to irrelevance, meaning they’re living in these remote outlying areas, or they reconcile, or they die.” So now Nicholson is out and we’re getting top general #17 in that graveyard of empires.
The problem, everyone estimates, is that Pakistan (like Russia and Iran) still isn’t cooperating with the US regime change operation. Imagine that! General McChrystal reported that to Obama back in 2009, citing the fact that Pakistan doesn’t want India’s influence (which the US is promoting) on its western flank. Russia and Iran are not great US friends either, and they’re doing what they can to see the US fail.
Meanwhile ex-president Karzai has complained about US helicopters dropping off weapons for ISIS in Afghanistan; memories of Syria.