News Detail
Talks on US forces’ presence in Afghanistan soon: Sedney
KABUL: Washington is about to begin negotiations with Kabul on presence of special forces in Afghanistan, a senior administration official told US lawmakers.
“We are about to begin those negotiations to come up with how many special forces there will be in Afghanistan after 2014,” David Sedney, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing.
“We have committed to drawing down our forces by the end of 2014, and ending a lead combat role. But we have committed to continuing a presence in Afghanistan after 2014,” he said.
“In the strategic partnership agreement that we signed with Afghanistan last month, we agreed to begin negotiations on a bilateral security agreement which will set the parameters for what that force is, including the participation of Special Forces after 2014,” Sedney said.
The strength of Afghan forces would be decreased by 120,000 to 230,000 by 2017.
In April, the Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, discussed with his Afghan counterpart, Minister Wardak, and Minister of Interior Mohammadi in their security consultative forum in April and agreed to have a regular six- month review of where the Afghan security forces stand and what their future plans are.
“The goal of something in the neighborhood of 230,000 by 2017 is one we broadly agreed to. But the actual pace and the character, the way we get there, is something we'll be doing in these six-month reviews. In terms of what happens to those who might be demobilized, there's a certain level of natural attrition,” he said.
Responding to questions, Sedney said that figure certainly depends on the degrading of to Taliban. “Our campaign plan has been to degrade the Taliban, push the Taliban down, build up the Afghan security forces. In our reviews, we're gonna check and see whether that's actually happening. But a much diminished Taliban, a much less effective Taliban, will require less forces. And that's what that calculation is based on. But we're gonna be looking at it every six months to see if, in fact, that's happening,” he said.__(PAN)
Highlights
-
Sharif seeks improved relations with Kabul
KABUL: Following his landslide victory in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections, Mian Nawaz Sharif on Sunday promised efforts at improving Islamabad-Kabul relations. In recent weeks, ties between.... READ MORE
-
Taliban free 4 of 8 Turkish engineers
KABUL: The Taliban have freed four of the Turkish engineers they had kidnapped last month in central Logar province, Afghan and Turkish officials said on Sunday. On April 21, the Taliban kidnapp.... READ MORE
-
MPs suggest rethink on Pakistan policy
KABUL: Members of the Meshrano Jirga -- or upper house of the parliament -- on Sunday said the incoming Pakistan government would not help Afghanistan and asked the Karzai administration to revie.... READ MORE
-
Karzai hopes new Pak govt to help fight terror
KABUL: President Hamid Karzai on Sunday telephoned Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif and congratulated him his “clear victory” in the elections. Karzai described Sharif.... READ MORE
-
Iranian guards’ fire being probed: Musazai
KABUL: The Foreign Ministry said it was dispatching a delegation to Iran on Sunday to investigate reported casualties among Afghans at the hands of Iranian guards near the shared border. At leas.... READ MORE
-
Balochs vow to resist aggression
KABUL: The Council of Baloch Elders of Afghanistan on Sunday voiced their support for the government in guarding the country's borders against Pakistani intrusions. At a meeting with President H.... READ MORE
-
Hundreds rally against Pakistan, Iran
FARAH CITY: Hundreds of people, mostly former jihadi leaders, on Sunday rallied against Pakistan and Iran, accusing the neighbouring countries of killing and torturing innocent Afghans. Nearly 5.... READ MORE
-
Abducted MDC workers shifted to Tirah
JALALABAD: The eleven employees of a mine-clearing organisation, who were abducted from the Achin district of Nangarhar province, have been taken to Pakistan’s northwestern Tirah Valley, offici.... READ MORE
Clippings
Iran and blame the victim game
Tehran is continuously interfering in Afghanistan and pressurizing Kabul under one pretext or the other. Iran’s meddling into our internal affairs while giving it name of concern as Tehran did it recently when its ambassa...
