WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, during his first press conference as Pentagon chief, said on Friday that progress towards peace in Afghanistan and the end of US military involvement in that country depended on reducing Taliban attacks. He said, right now, “it is clear that the violence is too high”.
He declined, however, to say when the United States will decide whether it will meet the May 1 deadline for the complete withdrawal of troops, or whether America and its NATO allies will try to renegotiate the peace deal with Taliban and keep some troops there longer.
“We are aware of the impending deadlines, but we want to do it methodically and deliberately,” Austin said. “But we do try to make sure we make the right decisions, and we will follow this process on purpose.”
Afghanistan is shaping up to be a major national security dilemma for Austin and the rest of President Joe Biden’s young national security team. There is little political appetite to keep US troops in Afghanistan, but their withdrawal risks further strengthening Taliban power and triggering a resurgence of terrorism.
As part of the deal with the Taliban struck by the Trump administration a year ago this month, the United States has pledged a phased troop withdrawal, so that by May 1, 2021, all the foreign troops would have left. For their part, the Taliban pledged to enter into peace talks with the Afghan government, end attacks on US forces, and publicly renounce all ties to Al-Qaida and other extremist groups.
Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Austin made it clear that Taliban violence “must decrease now” and that progress in negotiations with the Afghan government must move forward.
Austin, a retired four-star Army general who oversaw US forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East for three years under the Obama administration, said the Biden administration was considering options for its next steps in Afghanistan, where US troops have been deployed for nearly 20 years.
US forces represent about 2,500 of the approximately 10,000 troops who train and advise Afghans. And the allies have suggested a willingness to continue the mission if necessary.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday her government was prepared to keep troops in Afghanistan longer if necessary to prevent the country from descending into chaos.
“Withdrawal should not mean that the bad forces are taking over,” she said.
Austin, who met with NATO defense ministers this week, said he assured his allies they would be kept informed while the United States considers its options. And, he said, he told them that “the United States will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan which would put its forces or the reputation of the alliance at risk.”
In remarks earlier Friday at a virtual Munich security conference meeting, Biden gave no indication of his plan for troop levels in Afghanistan. He pledged to support the peace process and ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a launching pad for international terrorist attacks.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that allies hoped for a “revitalized” peace process that could lead to a ceasefire as a step towards a final political settlement. Other than that, the choices for the United States and NATO are difficult.
“We are facing very hard and difficult dilemmas,” Stoltenberg told reporters after Austin and his fellow NATO defense ministers were consulted by video conference. “Because if we stay beyond May 1, we risk more violence, we risk more attacks against our own troops, and we, of course, also risk being part of an ongoing presence in Afghanistan that will be difficult. But if we leave, we also risk losing the gains we have made and Afghanistan again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. “
In further comments on Friday, Austin said the Pentagon’s ongoing efforts to stamp out racism and extremism within the military will likely identify only a small number of issues within the force. “But, quite frankly, they’re probably going to be a little bigger than most of us think,” he added. “I would just say … small numbers in this case can have a disproportionate impact.”
Austin also said he spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who is the kingdom’s defense chief, on Thursday. He said he delivered the message that Biden has decided that the United States will no longer support Saudi offensive military operations in Yemen.
“They’ve heard this message loud and clear,” said Austin, who has known many key Middle Eastern leaders from his years as head of U.S. Central Command from 2013 to 2016.
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