As the US is pulling combat troops out of Afghanistan, Washington is looking to keep a diplomatic presence at its embassy in Kabul. Part of that plan involves securing the Kabul airport, which is currently being guarded by hundreds of Turkish troops.
The US wants the Turkish troops to stay, and Ankara is looking for concessions from the US to leave the soldiers behind. But the Taliban on Thursday warned that if Turkish troops remain at the airport, it would be a violation of the Doha agreement that calls for all foreign troops to leave Afghanistan.
“Turkey was part of NATO forces in the past 20 years, so as such, they should withdraw from Afghanistan on the basis of the agreement we signed with US on 29th Feb 2020,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said.
Responding to the Taliban’s comments, a US State Department spokesperson said the US diplomatic presence requires a “functioning” and “secure” airport.
“We underscore that a functioning, secure airport is essential to any international diplomatic presence and will benefit Afghan travelers and the Afghan economy,” the spokesperson said, according to Reuters.
The spokesperson did not elaborate if the US would close its embassy if Turkish troops do not stay to secure the airport. The US is looking to leave a few hundred troops in Afghanistan to protect its diplomatic mission, but if the airport isn’t secure, and Kabul falls to the Taliban the US personnel would have no way out.
Besides hoping to keep a diplomatic presence, the US also wants to maintain the ability to bomb Afghanistan, what the Pentagon is calling “over the horizon capability.” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the US has already begun launching surveillance and combat flights inside Afghanistan from outside the country. The US is doing this from airbases and aircraft carriers in the Gulf region but hopes to work out a deal with one of Afghanistan’s neighbors to keep assets closer.
Twilight for the USA. Good riddance, yet, on the other hand;
“There is no doubt that the US system is a deeply imperialist structure which provoked and is doomed to provoke havoc in all the world. But its “destruction” as such will be positive only if it is replaced by a better, not a worse structure or an anarchic decent into a chaotic situation, for Americans themselves and for all the world.”
(http://www.defenddemocracy.press/the-historic-and-global-significance-of-the-putin-biden-summit/)
So true. The only hope of positive outcome is the global security system that is indivisible. To insure that no country is threatened — on whatever pretext, meaning final curtain to the colonizing, missionary zeal Western societies claim for themselves. And finally have a true free trade, freely negotiated for mutual benefit. Ending an urge to reeducate planet, to interfere in every internal turmoil countries go through periodically is a sine qua non in establishing global security and tranquility.
As it is not likely that US and its European vassals are likely to understand the need for careful management if such transition— conflicts will continue. Until someone goes bankrupt financially and politically and unable to come back. UK went down similar route. From having an uncontested primacy globally in industrial production, trade and military power in mid-nineteen century, to entering serious decline by the end of WWI. And US rise was unstoppable. But UK managed the transition in a way US cannot.
Belonging to same cultural background, UK and US found paths to moving ahead.
What we have in front of us is a new phenomena. Western world has shown surprising level of provincialism. The inability to accept the otherness — historically always true of Russia, and even more of China. Accepting transition to a better, more collaborative world would be in US interest as it still
commands resources — economic and military, and has much to offer.
But it will be held back by Western inflexibility and arrogance.
Will the world necessarily become a worse place should US primacy fails? It entirely depends on the quantity and quality of US resistance to a new security consensus.
America First! Bring the troops home now from all over.
http://alemarahenglish.net/?p=46897
The Taliban asking Afghan soldiers to defect.
They’ll probably get a few takers.
Turkey’s Imperial ambitions seem to be expanding by leaps and bounds.
Maintaining troops in Afghanistan is always expensive, but in this case there is bound to be a huge subsidy from the US and others.
Turkey can continue the pressure on Iran from the east, and will be on the border of China as well, specifically at the Muslim province of Xinjiang where it has already been up to its ears in hell-raising.
At first glance it looks like a win-win-win proposition for both Turkey and “NATO”.
Turkey offers to run Kabul airport after NATO’s Afghan withdrawal
Not at all. Turkey and Iran are tight allies. This is a fact, and we can whistle past the graveyard if we wish. Turkey’s currency was under attack several times, and always money injections came from China or Qatar — translate Iran. Turkey has a growing amount of trade with Asia, particularly with China and Russia.
In fact, Taliban wants Turkey to stay. So do Iran, Russia, China and Pakistan.
Just nobody will say it is desirable, as to not rub NATO’s nose into this concession.
So, Taliban “does not like it”, and will have to be “persuaded”. It will look like NATO victory, a face saving device.
But Turkey has collaborated with China in Silk Road strategy.’, and Xinjiang is a crucial Chinese Westernmost node for Eurasian connectivity. Turkey is collaborating with Russia in Syria — more than obvious. In Libya with Russia and Egypt. Turkey is collaborating with Iraq and Iran by basing troops in Iraq, and with Iran by basing troops in Qatar. Turkey and Russia have joint military “center” in Azerbaijan, while Russian military guards Armenian exclave Nagorno-Karabakh and critical corridors across both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Need more instances of opportunistic entry into geopolitical game? How about Egypt’s entry into Gaza under the banner of cease fire, followed by the crossing of construction machinery. Basically, Egypt is like Turkey, entering geopolitical arena, Let us guess — Egypt is risking Israel’s wrath, and punishment from US all by its lonesome self? Nobody protecting its back? Not likely. Same with Turkey.
I have been writing poly sci fantasy and am impressed by your ability to keep going with reality itself. Thanks.
“Imperial Ambitions” is a loaded expression.
Turkey clearly seeks to lead the Sunni Arab world, as it once did, and as is now done instead by Saudi Arabia in ways far worse by any Western standard. Turkey is larger and better positioned in some ways, so it is a realistic ambition.
The obvious solution is to no longer have a diplomatic presence in Kabul. But the long-underwhelming geniuses at State probably haven’t considered such a commonsense approach.
It Turkey won’t do it, then mercenaries could. US mercenary companies have often been composed of enlisted ranks from a variety of their world regions, including Central and South America, with a thin leadership element of former US Special Forces. They could do this without reliance on local Afghan loyalty issues. It would just cost a bit more than getting Turkey to do it.
“Washington is looking to keep a diplomatic presence at its embassy in Kabul” LOL.The USA has never had the slightest interest in diplomacy, only interference, destruction and threats.
Good new Amerikain troop won’t die as the the troops take their place. The People of Afgan will contuie to die. Sad:-)/