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Biden says ME more ‘stable, secure’; critic points out ‘shambolic’ withdrawal
US President Joe Biden claimed in a Saturday Washington Post Op-Ed that the Middle East is more “stable and secure” than when he took office.
“The Middle East I’ll be visiting is more stable and secure than the one my administration inherited 18 months ago,” Biden wrote.
His comments come despite the decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, which was followed by the collapse of the former government and take over by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
But in response to his comments, K.T. McFarland, deputy national security adviser to former president Donald Trump spoke with Fox News Digital in response to Biden’s op-ed, calling America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan “shambolic.”
“Our shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan has turned out to be the turning point in America’s position in the world. Ever since, our friends no longer trust us, and our adversaries no longer fear us,” McFarland said.
“Biden inherited a Middle East that had just concluded an historic peace agreement between Israel and Sunni Arab nations. Iran was economically devastated because of sanctions and low oil prices. The maximum pressure campaign on Iran was working – they would have soon had no choice but to stop their support of terrorist movements, and cease their nuclear weapons program and sue for peace on our terms. ISIS was defeated, its butcher leaders dead.”
McFarland also said that Biden will soon find that the Middle East has “moved on.”
“The Arabs and Israelis continue to build momentum of the Abraham Accords, despite Biden’s best efforts to sabotage it. Iran will have deliverable nuclear weapons by the end of Biden’s term. The Saudis, whom Biden has publicly disavowed, will have little incentive to get him out of the oil shortages he has created,” McFarland says.
On July 8, 2021, almost two months before the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan took control of Afghanistan, Biden said that an IEA takeover of the country wasn’t likely.
Biden however mentioned Afghanistan once in the Op-Ed, but did not discuss the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
Biden’s Op-Ed comes less than a week before his first trip to Saudi Arabia since becoming President.
During the meeting, Minister Haqqani described Ambassador Zhao Xing’s tenure in Afghanistan as effective and praised his positive contribution to strengthening relations between Afghanistan and China.
Ambassador Zhao Xing, in turn, expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the Ministry of Interior Affairs for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure in Afghanistan.
The Chinese ambassador underscored the importance of the historic relations between Afghanistan and China and expressed hope that bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries would continue to expand in the future.
Several Afghan doctors and medical staff have been stopped from working at Northwest General Hospital and Research Centre (NWGH) in Peshawar due to visa-related issues, according to Pakistani freelance journalist Tahir Khan.
Khan reported on Monday that the affected Afghan medical workers had applied for visa extensions, but their applications have yet to be approved.
A September 2 circular issued by the Human Resource Department of Alliance Healthcare (Pvt.) Ltd. directed Afghan nationals without valid visas to discontinue their duties with immediate effect.
According to the circular, the employees can resume work after submitting valid visa documentation and completing the required verification process.
An NWGH doctor told Khan that several Afghan doctors and other medical staff had previously been working at the hospital with valid visas but have now been suspended while their visa-extension applications remain pending.
The development comes a week after the Lahore High Court suspended the operation of directives issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council ordering Afghan medical students to return to Afghanistan.
The reported suspension of Afghan medical staff at the Peshawar hospital has raised concerns among affected doctors, who say they remain unable to work while awaiting decisions on their visa applications.
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Mujahid: Afghanistan’s reconstruction must rely on domestic investment
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says Afghanistan’s reconstruction should be driven by the country’s own resources, domestic investment and Afghan businesses rather than dependence on foreign aid and projects.
Mujahid said several countries, including the former Soviet Union and the United States, had implemented reconstruction and development projects in Afghanistan over the past decades while pursuing their own objectives and interests.
He said although some projects were completed, they were not sufficient to meet Afghanistan’s needs, while the country also suffered significant losses during periods of foreign involvement.
Mujahid stressed that Afghan traders and investors should play a central role in rebuilding the country and advancing economic growth.
According to him, the Islamic Emirate is working to encourage Afghan businesspeople to invest inside Afghanistan and contribute to reconstruction and development.
He said domestic investment is essential for strengthening Afghanistan’s economy and achieving greater self-reliance.
Mujahid added that Afghanistan’s long-term development should ultimately be driven by the efforts, capital and resources of Afghans themselves.
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