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Hillary Clinton warns of ‘huge consequences’ once troops withdraw
Hillary Clinton has for the first time publicly voiced her disapproval with US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday night, Clinton said the US should be prepared for “two huge consequences”.
The first, she said, is a collapse of the Afghan government and Taliban takeover, and the second would be an outpouring of refugees should civil war break out.
Her comments came just a day after the US officially launched its final withdrawal of about 2,500 troops from Afghanistan.
CNN also reported that Clinton reportedly appeared before Congress on Friday to warn against the withdrawal.
Clinton, the former US secretary of state, voiced her concerns to CNN a day after the US formally passed control of Camp Antonik in the southern Helmand province to Afghan forces on Saturday.
But explaining the two consequences she foresaw to CNN, Clinton said: “One, the potential collapse of the Afghan government and a takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, probably with a resumption of civil war in certain parts of the country, but a largely Taliban-run government at some point in the not-too-distant future.
“How do we help and protect the many, many thousands of Afghans who worked with the United States and NATO, who worked with American and other NATO-connected contractors who stood up and spoke out for women’s rights and human rights,” she asked.
“I hope that the administration in concert with the Congress will have a very large visa program and will begin immediately to try to provide that channel for so many Afghans to utilize so that they are not left in danger.
“There will also be, I fear, a huge refugee outflow. And of course, the second big set of problems revolves around a resumption of activities by global terrorist groups, most particularly al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (Daesh).”
She said: “It’s one thing to pull out troops that have been supporting security in Afghanistan, supporting the Afghan military, leaving it pretty much to fend for itself, but we can’t afford to walk away from the consequences of that decision.”
As secretary of state in the Obama administration, Clinton supported a surge of 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan to counter gains made in the country by the Taliban.
Clinton was also a fierce supporter of regime change in Libya.
Rice was the chief foreign policy adviser to Bush, and the architect of the American “war on terror” after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Media Violations Commission has ordered Noor and Barya TV channels to stop broadcasting and to appear in court, state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Tuesday.
ّIt is said that the decision against the channels was taken for “not observing the principles of journalism.”
Former Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has criticized the United States for patrolling Afghanistan’s airspace with drones.
Hekmatyar said in a speech Tuesday that any form of American presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable.
“Afghanistan’s airspace is under occupation. Expressing this issue is our religious responsibility. We have sacrificed the most for freedom. We do not accept any presence of America. We do not accept any kind of foreign rule,” he said.
Hekmatyar also stated that there is a possibility of American troops entering the country again.
“[Former] President Trump’s national security advisor says that their departure was a mistake and that they should return. This is not an ordinary issue. The possibility that they will make a mistake again and return to Afghanistan is very strong,” he said.
The Islamic Emirate has not commented so far on Hekmatyar’s remarks, but it has confirmed sightings of drones over Afghanistan.
“It is required that the respected officials of the caretaker government give explanations on this matter and respond to the concerns of the Afghan people in this matter, because important and great national issues are important for every Afghan citizen and if there is a problem, it will be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Fazl-ul-Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks on a number of issues including the Trans-Afghan Railway project.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade issues, strengthening of relations and regional matters, including the escalating situation in the Middle East.
In October 2023, Uzbekistan Railways JSC presented the Trans-Afghan Railway project to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport.
Subsequently, deliberations were held on Qatar’s involvement in the project’s execution.
In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction.
The envisioned transport corridor, estimated at approximately $5 billion, aims to connect Europe, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian nations, boasting a transit capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo.
Media Violation Commission bans two TV channels
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Uzbek and Qatari leaders discuss Trans-Afghan Railway project
Pakistani police give Afghans in Balochistan one day to leave
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ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
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