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Biden administration continues to defend decision to withdraw troops
As the one-year anniversary of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan approaches, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week that keeping American troops in Afghanistan “could not be justified” and no amount of American military presence led to victory after 20 years.
“It had to come to an end,” he said at the Aspen Security Forum held in Colorado this past week.
Sullivan also said that President Joe Biden is convinced he made the right call to end America’s involvement in the war but added it had been “horrible, painful” for him to watch the images at Kabul International Airport in August last year.
According to Politico, the conference ended with three takeaways: The Biden administration still defends the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, admits the process to bring Afghans who served alongside U.. troops in that war stateside is “slow,” and Trump’s Pentagon chief called the former president a threat to democracy.
Mark Esper, former president Donald Trump’s secretary of defense, called his last boss “a threat to democracy” who is guilty of “dereliction of duty” following the January 6 insurrection, Politico reported.
What Trump did “is not in keeping with the best traditions of our country, let alone the Oval Office,” he said.
Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, says Islamabad does not seek to impose war on Afghanistan or occupy any part of its territory.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he stated that Pakistan’s primary expectation is for Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to address this concern could lead to the continuation of Pakistani operations targeting such groups.
Pakistani officials have long maintained that militant attacks in Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory. However, the Islamic Emirate has rejected the claim, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for what it describes as Pakistan’s “security failures.”
Afghanistan has once again been ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report.
The report, which measures people’s overall life satisfaction across 147 countries, placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the global ranking for another year, with a score 1.4 out of 10. Researchers assess factors such as income levels, social support, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption, and overall quality of life.
For the ninth consecutive year, Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country, with a score of 7.7. Iceland and Denmark followed it, as Nordic nations continued to dominate the top of the index.
A notable development came from Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place — the highest ranking ever recorded for a Latin American country.
Other countries with low rankings included Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed the temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan announced in connection with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, calling for continued efforts to reduce tensions and achieve lasting peace.
Anwar shared the message during a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif. In a Facebook post, Anwar emphasized the importance of dialogue and de-escalation, while also expressing concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, and urging all parties to prioritize peaceful solutions.
Pakistan said it had temporarily suspended military operations in Afghanistan at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. Afghan authorities likewise announced a halt to operations during Eid, citing goodwill and similar requests from regional partners.
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Durand Line clashes and airstrikes.
Separately, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call discussed regional developments with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming Turkey’s commitment to peace and stability and stressing continued cooperation for long-term security.
Pakistan PM’s adviser: No intention to impose war on Afghanistan
Trump says US considering ‘winding down’ Iran war
Afghanistan again ranked last in global happiness index
Ireland to host Afghanistan for ODI series in August
Malaysian PM welcomes temporary Afghanistan–Pakistan truce, urges lasting peace
Pakistani military jet downed in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, pilot captured alive
Afghan Air Force conducts airstrikes in Islamabad, other cities
Prominent Muslim scholar issues fatwa calling for Afghanistan-Pakistan ceasefire
Afghan air force strikes key Pakistani military installations in retaliatory operation
IEA: Special circle in Pakistan has launched mission to destabilize region
Tawsia: Assessment of Afghanistan’s economic activities in 1404
Tahawol: Temporary ceasefire draws broad support
Saar: Emphasis on resolving conflicts through diplomacy
Tahawol: Global reactions to Pakistan’s recent attacks discussed
Saar: Consequences of Pakistani airstrikes on Afghans discussed
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