Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Joe Biden is correct in the Afghanistan troop withdrawal, though he needs to get it done right. The date set for troops to leave is September 11 this year, but he stresses the military pullout's execution.
Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal crucial for the United States
Pompeo said that it wouldn't be easy if the Biden administration assumes there will be no hitches; it begins on May 1, reported the Epoch Times.
He was one of the Trump-era panel members who talked with the Taliban on how US troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan. There should be coordination and collaboration with Taliban officials to draft a formal agreement for US troops by May 1, the same as the current administration's intended date. Key points were fewer hostilities and no terrorism anymore, also to start Intra-Afghan peace talks.
On Fox News' "America Reports," Pompeo was quoted saying, "We reduced [troops] from 10,000 plus to around 2,500 on our watch, and ... [we did] everything we could to make sure we were never attacked from Afghanistan again."
Biden was quoted on Wednesday that it is now "time to end America's longest war" and "time for American troops to return home," adding that September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City "cannot explain" why US troops should stay in Central Asia.
Taliban Support for Al Qaeda Terrorists Is Against US Agreement to Sever All Ties
He claims to have decided after talking to Vice President Kamala Harris, military officials, and even ex-President George Bush. Pompeo stated that the groundwork was set by ex-president Trump and his administration, which is the blueprint Biden is using.
How many special operations troops will be left in Afghanistan is not definite, according to the president. To date, 1,000 special ops forces are still there.
Pompeo said the US would be lessening its presence in the Asian country, which should be done with the past administration's blueprint.
He said that President Trump preceded Biden, who set the policies to move out troops to make a point. He added the leader of the unrest in Iran, not Afghanistan, as caution. Pompeo said that execution is important to ensure a smooth withdrawal as a parting shot to the Biden administration.
He added that coalition forces should be part of the process, said that the Taliban needs to make a crucial decision that matters a lot. Taliban can be pariahs and trouble makers or help find peace with the Afghan government.
If all Afghan conflict parties decide to work together, it means developing the country from continual conflict, but they have to get their act together. Violence has happened with regularity without ending, putting US and Coalition forces in alert.
Not all agree that pulling out troops is the right thing to do; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) calls the plan a mistake. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that leaving Afghanistan will be a nasty self-inflicted wound. Even with Afghanistan's troop withdrawal from the Trump era, the GOP doesn't believe that President Biden can pull it off.
Obama Administration Allotted Money to an Al-Qaeda Affiliate From 2014 to 2015
