US, Taliban reach Afghan truce agreement. Could lead to withdrawal of US forces!

[HillGoose]

Why is the government negotiating with terrorists? Why can't America be like this again?

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

This has happened like 20 times over the past 5 years, it’s nothing.

I don't know why, but I thought of you, when I read it.
https://twitter.com/AmbJohnBolton/status/1233369265262276610

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-from-the-president-14/
Statement from the President
Issued on: February 28, 2020

Nearly 19 years ago, American service members went to Afghanistan to root out the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks.  In that time, we have made great progress in Afghanistan, but at great cost to our brave service members, to the American taxpayers, and to the people of Afghanistan.  When I ran for office, I promised the American people I would begin to bring our troops home, and seek to end this war.  We are making substantial progress on that promise.

Soon, at my direction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will witness the signing of an agreement with representatives of the Taliban, while Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will issue a joint declaration with the government of Afghanistan.  If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home.  These commitments represent an important step to a lasting peace in a new Afghanistan, free from Al Qaeda, ISIS, and any other terrorist group that would seek to bring us harm.  Ultimately it will be up to the people of Afghanistan to work out their future.  We, therefore, urge the Afghan people to seize this opportunity for peace and a new future for their country.

I thank the hundreds of thousands of American warriors who have proudly served in Afghanistan. We have killed or captured many ISIS and Al Qaeda terrorists.  We honor your service and the sacrifices you and your families have made for the American people.  These agreements are a result of the strenuous efforts of those who fought so hard in Afghanistan for the United States of America.

Real Americans wish you good luck, Pr. Trump! 🙏🙏🙏

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://apnews.com/491544713df4879f399d0ff5523d369e
US, Taliban sign deal aimed at ending war in Afghanistan

The United States signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war.

Under the agreement, the U.S. would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next 3-4 months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months. The complete pullout, however, would depend on the Taliban meeting their commitments to prevent terrorism.

[jaichind]

https://apnews.com/491544713df4879f399d0ff5523d369e
US, Taliban sign deal aimed at ending war in Afghanistan

The United States signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war.

Under the agreement, the U.S. would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next 3-4 months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months. The complete pullout, however, would depend on the Taliban meeting their commitments to prevent terrorism.

Excellent.  Hopefully US forces pull out of Afghanistan ASAP

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

what an indictment of Obama's administration that credit for the pullout will go to the fascistic clown.

[Mr. Morden]

NYT has more:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/01/world/asia/afghanistan-war-troops-cia.html

Air strikes against Al Qaeda and Islamic State in Afghanistan will continue for now, and not clear if they’ll end completely after the 14 month withdrawal.  They may well continue beyond that, being launched from other countries.

A potential terrorist threat remains in the region. Most remaining Qaeda leaders are hiding in Pakistan, but under a Taliban-dominated government could come back. Qaeda and Taliban factions continue to be intertwined in some parts of the country, especially in Afghanistan’s west.

But some analysts and government officials think it can be easy to overstate the risk of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Many intelligence officials believe groups like the country’s Islamic State affiliate are much more of a regional threat, posing a problem to the Taliban and Afghan government rather than Americans. Whether that will remain the case after an American exit, however, is the unanswered question.

The other question is what happens to American and other international aid to the Afghan government:

More important than troops, potentially, is the willingness for the international community to continue to finance the Afghanistan government after a peace deal.

“The real key to whether Afghanistan avoids falling into an even longer civil war is the degree to which the United States and NATO are willing to fund and train the Afghan security forces over the long term,” Mr. Stavridis said. “When Vietnam collapsed and the helicopters were lifting off the roof of the U.S. Embassy, it was the result of funding being stopped.”

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Al Qaida is still a thing?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Afghan President Rejects Timeline For Prisoner Swap Proposed In US-Taliban Peace Deal

The deal also outlined the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners by the Afghan government in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan security forces held prisoner by the Taliban.

The swap is intended as a confidence building measure ahead of talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan's government, slated to begin around mid-March in Oslo, Norway. The talks are intended to achieve a lasting ceasefire and a political settlement that would establish a role for the Taliban in the country's future.

But on Sunday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told a news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, that a prisoner release was not a promise the United States could make, according to The Associated Press. "The request has been made by the United States for the release of prisoners and it can be part of the negotiations but it cannot be a precondition," said Ghani..

[The Dowager Mod]

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1234461943165079552

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Yesterday:
Trump speaks with Taliban leader, claims "very good" relationship

"We had a very good conversation with the leader of the Taliban today they're looking to get this ended ... the country really has to get it ended, we've been there for 20 years ... the relationship I have is very good with the Mullah," Trump said.

Today:
U.S. resumes airstrikes against Taliban to halt attack on Afghan forces

It was the first strike against the Taliban in 11 days, he said. It came just five days after the U.S. and Taliban signed an historic agreement that would end America’s longest war if the Taliban lived up to its commitments.

U.S. officials argue there’s a commitment by the Taliban to reduce violence. However, the four pages signed Feb. 29 agreement does not discuss a cessation of hostilities or reduction in violence. Technically, the week long reduction in violence partial truce ended on Feb. 29.

[Illiniwek]

Yesterday:
Trump speaks with Taliban leader, claims "very good" relationship

"We had a very good conversation with the leader of the Taliban today they're looking to get this ended ... the country really has to get it ended, we've been there for 20 years ... the relationship I have is very good with the Mullah," Trump said.

Today:
U.S. resumes airstrikes against Taliban to halt attack on Afghan forces

It was the first strike against the Taliban in 11 days, he said. It came just five days after the U.S. and Taliban signed an historic agreement that would end America’s longest war if the Taliban lived up to its commitments.

U.S. officials argue there’s a commitment by the Taliban to reduce violence. However, the four pages signed Feb. 29 agreement does not discuss a cessation of hostilities or reduction in violence. Technically, the week long reduction in violence partial truce ended on Feb. 29.

Man oh man I'm so tired of all this winning.

[dead0man]

While I very much want us out of Afghanistan, I certainly understand why the leadership in Afghanistan is leery of us leaving and leery to let 5000(!) Taliban out as a "good faith" gesture.  Months after we leave, they will be the ones whose decapitations will be viewed online.  It's their children that will be raped and murdered.



...and why does Trump always brag about how good a relationship he has with the most evil people on Earth?  That's weird, right?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/thomasjoscelyn/status/1236026648161669122

[dead0man]

<shock face>

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

Trump is purging Pentagon Sh*t House in a Lame Duck session in order to keep his promise to Americans. He has to do it before Warmongers take back the office.


https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1326208377798746114

https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/1326597738738442243

https://www.axios.com/trump-pentagon-douglas-macgregor-43082c11-5480-4efb-9d83-3761f35798ff.html
Scoop: Divisive Pentagon hire may rush troop withdrawals before Trump's exit

President Trump's newly installed acting Pentagon chief is bringing on a senior adviser in a sign the administration wants to accelerate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East before the end of his presidency in January, three people familiar with the move told Axios.

Why it matters: A senior administration official says a wave of firings at the Pentagon and the hiring of Ret. Army Col. Douglas Macgregor is in part a settling of Trump's personal scores — but senior White House officials also have made clear "they want them more publicly to talk about getting out of Afghanistan by the end of the year."

• Trump, who ran in 2016 on a promise to bring U.S. troops home, is frustrated with the slow pace of withdrawing troops from the Middle East, another senior administration official said.
• The president has told advisers on numerous occasions he wants troops home from Afghanistan by Christmas.

In a 2019 interview with Fox's Tucker Carlson, Macgregor said he would advise the president to get out of Afghanistan "as soon as possible," including removing the U.S. embassy from Kabul, and that talking to the Taliban was unnecessary.

• Macgregor also said the U.S. needs to pull its troops out of Syria immediately and America had no national interest there.
• He said, "We need to listen very carefully to the Iranians ... find out what their interests are and look for areas where we can cooperate" and that the U.S. needs to "turn the operational control of the [Korean] Peninsula militarily over to President Moon and the Koreans."

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/nytpolitics/status/1327374947472330758

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/us/politics/trump-afghanistan-troops.html
Trump Pentagon Purge Could Accelerate His Goal to Pull Troops From Afghanistan
President Trump’s supporters hope he is the president to end America’s longest war.

Consistent is not the adjective many would use to describe President Trump’s national security policy. But there is one goal he has nurtured since the 2016 campaign: withdrawing all American troops from Afghanistan.

Now, in the waning days of his presidency, Mr. Trump is scrambling to make it so, aided by conservative antiwar forces who see it not only as good policy but also as a linchpin to any future he may seek in politics.

This week, Mr. Trump dismissed his defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, who had repeatedly expressed reluctance for a fast pullout from Afghanistan, replacing him with Christopher C. Miller, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who may lack the stature and experience to push back effectively on Mr. Trump’s 11th-hour foreign policy actions.

Notably, Douglas Macgregor, a retired Army colonel and fierce proponent of ending American involvement in Afghanistan, was named this week as a senior adviser to Mr. Miller.

Mr. Trump recently nominated a new ambassador to Afghanistan, William Ruger, the vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch Institute — a vocal and well-financed opponent of current conflicts abroad. Even before any Senate confirmation, which seems unlikely before Inauguration Day, Mr. Ruger maintains a large chair at Mr. Trump’s foreign policy table.

[...]

With his recent flurry of firings and appointments, Mr. Trump has effectively pulled down a majority of the personnel guardrails against a fast withdrawal.

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

https://twitter.com/marknyt/status/1328449624206696448

Trump Is Said to Be Preparing to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia
Facing the end of his time in power, the president is pushing to accelerate withdrawals from counterterrorism conflicts. He campaigned on ending the longstanding wars.

President Trump is expected to order the U.S. military to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia by the time he leaves office in January, using the end of his time in power to significantly pull back American forces from far-flung conflicts around the world.

Under a draft order circulating at the Pentagon on Monday, the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan would be halved from the current deployment of 4,500 troops, officials said.

In Iraq, the Pentagon would trim force levels slightly below the 3,000 troops that commanders had previously announced. And in Somalia, virtually all of the more than 700 troops conducting training and counterterrorism missions would leave.

Taken together, the cuts reflect Mr. Trump’s longstanding desire to stop shouldering the cost of long-running military engagements against Islamist insurgencies in failed and fragile countries in Africa and the Middle East, a grinding mission that has spread since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

But the president’s aspirations have long run into resistance, as his own national security officials argued that abandonment of such troubled countries could have catastrophic consequences — such as when the United States pulled out of Iraq at the end of 2011, leaving a vacuum that fostered the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Mr. Trump has also repeatedly pushed to withdraw from Syria, but several hundred U.S. troops remain stationed there, partly to protect coveted oil fields held by American-backed Syrian Kurdish allies from being seized by the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. The current deliberations over withdrawals would not affect those in Syria, officials said.

The plan under discussion to pull out of Somalia is said to not apply to U.S. forces stationed in nearby Kenya and Djibouti, where American drones that carry out airstrikes in Somalia are based, according to officials familiar with the internal deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Last move from O-Biden administration - start a fight with Russians to prevent Trump from trying to make a Peace with them.
Last move from Trump administration - bring as many Americans as possible home to prevent Biden's Warmongers from trying to start new Wars.


https://twitter.com/TheLeadCNN/status/1328467528339828736

"It's getting a lot of bipartisan push-back, including from Mitch McConnell."


Gee! There is still issues where Democrats and GOP can be bipartisan. NATIONAL SECURITY, my butt!

[Suburbia]

America should be out of Iraq/Afghanistan
Cut foreign aid
Cut defense spending by 10%
Remodernize the armed forces
Cut UN budget/cut NATO

[Not Me, Us]

For once, I agree with Trump. We need to end foreign wars of imperialism and get all troops out of the Middle East, not just Afghanistan.

[Suburbia]

For once, I agree with Trump. We need to end foreign wars of imperialism and get all troops out of the Middle East, not just Afghanistan.

[Suburbia]

For once, I agree with Trump. We need to end foreign wars of imperialism and get all troops out of the Middle East, not just Afghanistan.

Why does Adam Kinzinger and Lindsey Graham want to stay there for 100 years, then?

[HillGoose]

For once, I agree with Trump. We need to end foreign wars of imperialism and get all troops out of the Middle East, not just Afghanistan.

Why does Adam Kinzinger and Lindsey Graham want to stay there for 100 years, then?

Bcuz if we don’t 9/11 will happen again

[politics_king]

I support this. We need to be out of these countries. We're not solving anything there. Endless Wars are ridiculous, no one in this country as an appetite for them. The defense contractors need to be eliminated from lobbying.

[Suburbia]

I support this. We need to be out of these countries. We're not solving anything there. Endless Wars are ridiculous, no one in this country as an appetite for them. The defense contractors need to be eliminated from lobbying.

Tell that to Kinzinger, Rubio, Cheney, etc

Tell that to Virginia Beach and VA contractors