Thread: NATO forces to leave together from Afghanistan, U.S. says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -A coalition of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan will leave the country in coordination with a planned U.S. withdrawal by Sept. 11, Washington’s top diplomat said on Wednesday, ahead of a formal announcement of the end of two decades of fighting.


Around 7,000 non-U.S. forces from mainly NATO countries, but also from Australia, New Zealand and Georgia, outnumber the 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan but still rely on U.S. air support, planning and leadership for their training mission.


U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Brussels that it was time for NATO allies to make good on its mantra that allies went into Afghanistan together and would leave together.


“I am here to work closely with our allies, with the (NATO) secretary-general, on the principle that we have established from the start: In together, adapt together and out together,” Blinken said in a televised statement at NATO headquarters.


“We will work very closely together in the months ahead on a safe, deliberate and coordinated withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan,” Blinken said, standing alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg,


NATO foreign and defence ministers will discuss their plans later on Wednesday via video conference. A senior NATO diplomat told Reuters that no ally was expected to oppose U.S. President Joe Biden’s formal announcement, expected later on Wednesday, for a complete U.S. withdrawal of troops by Sept. 11.



NATO forces to leave together from Afghanistan, U.S. says | Reuters

Heard that before, haven't we? Lets see what actually happens.

Originally Posted by misskit

A senior NATO diplomat told Reuters that no ally was expected to oppose U.S. President Joe Biden’s formal announcement, expected later on Wednesday, for a complete U.S. withdrawal of troops by Sept. 11.

So Biden actually extends the deadline for troop withdrawal negotiated by the previous administration.

Originally Posted by Slick

So Biden actually extends the deadline for troop withdrawal negotiated by the previous administration.

It was extended a couple of times under the Trump administration, it hasn't suddenly become easier to withdraw.

Originally Posted by lom

It was extended a couple of times under the Trump administration, it hasn't suddenly become easier to withdraw.

So hard to withdrawal that they could pick a ceremonious date like they did, months in advance....

It's not a defeat.

We lasted twice as long as the soviets.

Hopefully we can still bomb their weddings by remote control


My god; aren't we just sheep ?

Originally Posted by helge

It's not a defeat.

We lasted twice as long as the soviets.

Hopefully we can still bomb their weddings by remote control


My god; aren't we just sheep ?

Do you yearn for the good old days when talitubbies could throw acid in girls faces for going to school?

Yes and I miss the good old days before and under the Soviet invasion, when the same long bearded "freedom fighters", supported by the west, toured the countryside, castrating every schoolteacher around.

Ofcourse I do

You are right again.

Now go lick some arab ass

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Do you yearn for the good old days when talitubbies could throw acid in girls faces for going to school?

Erm well they are around the negotiating table, negotiating for what i have no idea as they have won so those days are not far off again i fear. Nothing has changed just a lots of death and debt in the interim.

Originally Posted by helge

It's not a defeat.

We lasted twice as long as the soviets.




?

Yes

The permanent bureaucracy wants to keep the war going. The politicians aren't so hot about it anymore. Let's just watch. When the time comes to pull out , we will see it things heat up there again. See if a US base gets rocket attacked or something

So, the Taliban will be back in Kabul by Christmas then.

Same old/same old.

What a waste it has been.

Who will fill the power vacuum this time ? Last time it was ISIS, and didn't they rampage ?

Originally Posted by helge

Yes and I miss the good old days before and under the Soviet invasion, when the same long bearded "freedom fighters", supported by the west, toured the countryside, castrating every schoolteacher around.

But those were "Mujahideens", they are no longer existing, extinguished somehow like dinosaurs...

Originally Posted by strigils

Erm well they are around the negotiating table, negotiating for what i have no idea as they have won so those days are not far off again i fear. Nothing has changed just a lots of death and debt in the interim.

I think it's pretty evident that as soon as there is nothing to stop them, the bearded madmen will be back in charge hanging gays and shooting schoolkids in the head.

I rather think the Americans hold the winning pennant for shooting children in the head.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

I rather think

But not much, obviously.

Originally Posted by tomcat

Afghan females, of course, will return to a point in time where Saudi women were a few decades ago...only worse.

As in Saudi 10 years ago? And how the women are there today? Do they drive happily? And they do not have the US and NATO protection, do they?

But do we care for Saudi women as we (especially 'arry) care for the Afghan women? ("Different reporting")

Anyway, in Afghanistan the women are driving very well - perhaps under the sharp protection?

Isn't it an achievement after 20 years of "protection"? The price for that (and the losts) that's surely justified...

afghanistan women driving - Google Search

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Anyway, in Afghanistan the women are driving very well - perhaps under the sharp protection?

Da fuk?

India's military chief concerned about US pullout from Afghanistan


NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India is concerned about a vacuum developing in Afghanistan following the proposed withdrawal of United States and NATO forces from the country, the chief of the defence staff said on Thursday.


General Bipin Rawat told a security conference that the worry was “disruptors” would step into the space created by the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. He declined to name the countries that could act as spoilers.


President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that U.S. troops would withdrawn from Afghanistan starting on May 1 to end America’s longest war, rejecting calls for them to stay to ensure a peaceful resolution to that nation’s grinding internal conflict.

“Our concern is that the vacuum that will be created by the withdrawal of the United States and NATO should not create space for disruptors,” Rawat said.


India’s big worry is that instability in Afghanistan could spill over into its Muslim-majority territory of Kashmir where it has been fighting militants for three decades.


It is also concerned that arch rival Pakistan will gain a bigger hand in Afghanistan because of its long-standing ties with the hardline Taliban, who are expected to play a dominant role once the United States leaves.


“There are many people looking for an opportunity to walk into the space being created,” Rawat said.


India invested $3 billion in Afghanistan on roads, power stations and even built its parliament following the ousting of the Taliban in 2001.


Rawat said India would be happy to provide more support to Afghanistan so long as peace can return.


Biden said that U.S. objectives in Afghanistan had become “increasingly unclear” over the past decade.


India'''s military chief concerned about US pullout from Afghanistan | Reuters

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

How many, who supported the Russians, were given support for their effort?

The entire Warsaw Pact you utter buffoon.

Good lord do we have to deal with the utter simpletons time and again?

Originally Posted by misskit

General Bipin Rawat told a security conference that the worry was “disruptors” would step into the space

Is this a reference to Pakistan? or maybe Iran? Hard to tell.

Originally Posted by bsnub

The entire Warsaw Pact

They gave support to all Afghans that supported the Russian invasion ?

Originally Posted by bsnub

Good lord do we have to deal with the utter simpletons time and again?

Seems so.