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Politics

U.S. Asks Taliban to Spare Its Kabul Embassy in Coming Struggle for Capital

U.S. Asks Taliban to Spare Its Kabul Embassy in Coming Fight for Capital

Mr Khalilzad hopes to convince Taliban leaders that if the group hopes to receive US financial and other aid as part of a future Afghan government, the message must remain open and secure. The Taliban leadership has declared that it wants to be seen as the legitimate administrator of the country and is seeking relationships with other world powers, including Russia and China, in order to obtain economic support.

Two officials confirmed Mr. Khalilzad’s efforts, which had not yet been reported, to discuss the delicate negotiations on condition of anonymity. A third official said Thursday that the Taliban would lose all legitimacy – including development aid – if they attack Kabul or forcibly take over the Afghan government.

Other governments are also warning the Taliban that, given the rampage their fighters have carried out across the country in recent days, they will not receive any help if they overrun the Afghan government. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday that Berlin would not give the Taliban any financial support if they ultimately rule Afghanistan with an Islamic hardline law.

In other posts around the world, US diplomats said they would be closely monitoring the dangerous situation in Kabul to see how the State Department weighs its long-standing commitment to stabilizing Afghanistan against protecting the Americans who stay there if the odds change Withdraw forces.

Ronald E. Neumann, who was the American ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007, described a push-and-pull between the Pentagon and the State Department in similar situations in view of the military’s responsibility for conducting evacuations and the duty of diplomats to act on the American Help maintain and influence even in danger zones.

“If the military goes too early, it may be unnecessary and it can cost you a lot politically,” said Neumann, who is now president of the American Academy of Diplomacy in Washington. “If the diplomats wait too late, it looks like Saigon from the roof or leaving Mogadishu after everything has been lost, and it endangers the military. So there is no guaranteed right-hand side. “

Another senior US official this week voiced alarm over the fall of provincial capitals across Afghanistan, saying the situation could fall apart quickly if other cities follow suit, notably Mazar-i-Sharif, the only major city in the north that remains is under the control of the government.

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Politics

U.S. deploying 3,000 troops to assist evacuate Kabul embassy employees as Taliban advance

U.S. deploying 3,000 troops to help evacuate Kabul embassy staff as Taliban advance

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration will deploy 3,000 troops to Afghanistan to facilitate downsizing at the U.S. embassy in Kabul as the Taliban advance rapidly into the Afghan capital.

The troops, which will consist of a total of three infantry battalions from the Marines and the Army, will be stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul within 24 to 48 hours, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during a press conference Thursday.

“This is a very tightly focused mission to ensure the orderly reduction of civilian personnel from Afghanistan,” said Kirby, adding that the Pentagon expects to increase its air transport capabilities in the region.

A Taliban fighter guarded the entrance to the police headquarters in Ghazni on August 12, 2021, when the Taliban moved closer to the Afghan capital after taking the city of Ghazni.

AFP | Getty Images

In addition, a US infantry brigade will be stationed in Kuwait if it is needed in Afghanistan to secure the airport.

In the meantime, a joint Army and Air Force unit of 1,000 men is being deployed to Qatar to help process special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who supported US and NATO forces during the war.

Kirby said that despite the temporary influx of troops into Afghanistan, the US expects to fully withdraw all troops by August 31.

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The US embassy in Kabul on Thursday again urged Americans to leave Afghanistan immediately, warning that their ability to help citizens was “extremely limited” due to deteriorating security conditions and downsizing.

“In view of the evolving security situation, we assume that we will fall back on a core diplomatic presence in Afghanistan,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ned Price on Thursday.

Price added that Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and NATO partners about the new troop movement earlier on Thursday.

Since President Joe Biden’s decision in April to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have made staggering strides on the battlefield, with nearly two-thirds of the nation under their control.

The militants captured the strategically important city of Ghazni on Thursday and brought their front line within 95 miles of Kabul, an astonishing development that comes almost two weeks before US and NATO coalition forces exit.

The Taliban also claim to have captured Kandahar and Herat, Afghanistan’s second and third largest cities. Afghan officials confirmed Thursday night that the Taliban had captured Kandahar, the 12th district, according to a report by The Associated Press.

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Although the Afghan military was vastly outnumbered, the Taliban captured three Afghan provincial capitals and a local army headquarters in Kunduz on Wednesday, according to the AP.

Wednesday’s wins followed a dramatic blitz weekend in which the group captured five provincial capitals in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon has previously said that the ongoing Taliban offensive in the war-torn country violates a commitment made by the group last year to open peace talks with the Afghan government.

“What we are seeing on the ground is that the Taliban are advancing and taking control of district and provincial centers, which clearly shows that they believe it is possible to get government through violence, brutality, violence and repression in great contradiction to their previously stated goal of actually participating in a negotiated political solution, “Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.

Afghan security personnel are patrolling after regaining control of parts of the city of Herat after fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces on the outskirts of Herat, 640 kilometers (397 miles) west of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 8, 2021.

Hamed Sarfarazi | AP

He added that while the Pentagon is concerned to see such advances by the Taliban, the Afghan military must now take advantage of nearly two decades of training from US and NATO coalition forces.

“They have the advantage in numbers, operational structure, air force and modern weapons, and it’s really about having the will and leadership to use those advantages for their own benefit,” said Kirby.

“The recipe cannot just be a permanent US presence in Afghanistan that never ends,” he added.

At the White House, Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he had no regrets about his decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, despite the Taliban’s shocking gains.

“Look, we’ve spent over a trillion dollars over 20 years, we’ve trained and equipped over 300,000 Afghan forces with modern equipment,” Biden said.

“Afghan leaders need to come together,” added the president. “You have to fight for yourself, fight for your nation.”

– CNBC’s Spencer Kimball contributed to this report from New York.

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World News

Taliban seize two key Afghan cities as U.S. evacuates embassy workers

Taliban seize two key Afghan cities as U.S. evacuates embassy staff

Taliban fighters stand over a damaged police vehicle along the roadside in Kandahar on August 13, 2021.

AFP | Getty Images

The Taliban overtook two of Afghanistan’s largest cities, the latest conquests for the insurgents who are rapidly wresting control of the country just weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its withdrawal of troops there.

Islamist militants captured Kandahar, the second-most populous city in the country, as well as the third-largest city of Herat, NBC News reported Friday, citing a Taliban spokesman and local Afghan officials.

The insurgents have now seized at least half of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals, taking control of roughly two-thirds of the nation and encircling Kabul, where the U.S. Embassy is preparing to evacuate all but its core diplomatic personnel.

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Afghan government security forces have crumpled and many civilians have fled their homes amid the Taliban’s surprisingly swift advance toward the nation’s power center.

But the White House on Friday morning said Biden stands by his decision to end the U.S. presence in Afghanistan after nearly two decades of fighting in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“The President is firmly focused on how we can continue to execute an orderly drawdown and protect our men and women serving in Afghanistan,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“You heard him earlier this week: he does not regret his decision,” Psaki said.

In addition to the deployment of three infantry battalions from the Marines and Army to Kabul, a U.S. infantry brigade will be positioned on standby in Kuwait. Another 1,000-member unit comprising Army and Air Force personnel will deploy to Qatar to help process special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who assisted U.S. and NATO troops during the war.

US national flag is reflected on the windows of the US embassy building in Kabul on July 30, 2021.

Sajjad Hussain | AFP | Getty Images

Nevertheless, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that the U.S. still expects to fully withdraw all troops by the end of August.

Britain said Thursday it will send about 600 troops to help its citizens leave Afghanistan, where about 4,000 U.K. nationals are believed to be stationed. Canada is also deploying special forces to the country to evacuate staff in the Canadian Embassy in Kabul.

This is developing news. Please check back for updates.

— CNBC’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

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Health

Covid outbreak forces lockdown at U.S. Embassy in Kabul

Covid outbreak forces lockdown at U.S. Embassy in Kabul

A US Marine stands guard outside the US embassy December 21, 2001 in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Paula Bronstein | Getty Images

WASHINGTON – The U.S. embassy in Kabul was locked down Thursday as Covid cases rise in Afghanistan, pushing the country’s fragile health system to its limits.

At the embassy, ​​114 employees tested positive for the coronavirus and are currently in isolation, one person has died and several people have been medically evacuated.

“The resources of the intensive care unit of the military hospital are running at full capacity, which is forcing our health units to create temporary Covid-19 wards to care for oxygen-dependent patients. 95% of our cases are people who are not or not fully vaccinated.” The embassy wrote in a statement.

With immediate effect, the embassy said, employees would be restricted to their quarters, except to fetch food from restaurants or to exercise or relax in the open air alone.

“Individuals can walk, run, or relax outdoors without a mask provided they are ALONE, which means they are at least 6 meters away from others. Any further need requires a mask, ”the statement went on, adding that face-to-face meetings indoors are prohibited unless“ absolutely ”. business critical. “

People who do not adhere to the guidelines could be removed from the post “on the next available flight,” the embassy added.

“The restrictions will continue until the chain of transmission is broken,” the statement said.

Afghan hospitals are quickly running out of medical equipment and other resources as infection cases increased 2,400% in the past month, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Thursday.

Last week the US embassy in Kabul shut down all consular visa services to deal with an “intense third wave of Covid-19 cases” that may hamper visa status for thousands of Afghans who have supported the US military through the conflict .

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Thursday raised concerns about whether the backlog of more than 10,000 Afghan translators and their families would be cleared before remaining US troops withdraw from the war-weary country.

Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Forces Committee during a hearing on the Pentagon’s budget proposal that “planning is underway” to protect Afghans who have served alongside US and NATO forces.

The country’s senior military officer added that the U.S. military would be able to accommodate any request as the State Department is running the thorough visa process for eligible Afghans.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had passed the center of its Herculean task of withdrawing troops and equipment from Afghanistan.

The US military has removed approximately 611 loads of material that were flown out of the country by large cargo planes, according to an update from US Central Command.

The flight crew assigned to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, carry their equipment into a C-17 Globemaster III assigned to Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina on April 27, 2021.

Staff Sgt. Kylee Gardner | U.S. Air Force photo

Approximately 14,000 pieces of equipment that will not be handed over to the Afghan military have been turned over to the Defense Logistics Agency for destruction. The US officially handed over six facilities to the Afghan military.

In April, Biden announced a full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by September 11th, which would end America’s longest war.

Biden’s withdrawal deadline breaks with a proposed deadline that the Trump administration negotiated with the Taliban last year. Accordingly, all foreign armed forces should have left Afghanistan by May 1st.

The removal of approximately 3,000 US soldiers coincides with the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks that spurred America’s entry into protracted wars in the Middle East and Central Asia.

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World News

‘Are You Like This Doggy?’ U.S. Embassy Requested Chinese language College students. It Backfired.

‘Are You Like This Doggy?’ U.S. Embassy Asked Chinese Students. It Backfired.

HONG KONG – The US Embassy in Beijing had good news to report: Student visa applications for Chinese nationals have resumed after a year-long hiatus.

“Spring has come and the flowers are in bloom,” the message wrote on Wednesday in a Chinese-language social media post that contained a video of a dog trying to jump over a fence. “Are you like that pooch who can’t wait to go out and play?”

It backfired, big time.

The post on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform in China, could be seen as an attempt to be cute. But at a moment of rising nationalism on the Chinese Internet, it sparked criticism – and allegations of racism – which were compounded by the ruling Communist Party’s formidable propaganda machine.

The embassy quickly removed the post and apologized, but the damage was done. The spit is the final thorn in a diplomatic relationship that is prickly at best and has recently been at its most delicate point in decades.

Some Weibo users wrote that the US State Department deliberately tried to offend Chinese students by comparing them to dogs. The Global Times, an English-language Chinese tabloid, accumulated criticism of the Post and criticized former President Donald J. Trump’s visa policy.

Fang Kecheng, a professor of journalism and communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the response is a typical example of how nationalist news outlets and social media users in China are waging “public opinion warfare”.

“They pay close attention to what the US government and the media are saying and reinforce inappropriate language to discredit them,” he said.

Professor Fang said such campaigns sometimes drew attention to statements he believed should be criticized, such as Mr. Trump’s use of the term “China virus” to describe the coronavirus. This phrase has been widely criticized as racist and anti-Chinese in the United States and beyond.

“In this case, it amplifies a misstep,” he added, referring to the embassy’s social media post.

Earlier last year, Mr Trump imposed restrictions on travelers from China, including students, which sparked criticism from Beijing. The Weibo post of the US Embassy Consular Section on Wednesday announced that student applications under the direction of President Biden have resumed.

Not everyone who criticized the embassy post in China was outraged. Some Weibo users said they were more disappointed than angry, adding that the post was more deaf than intentionally malicious.

“It didn’t need the Weibo post to have that line about the dog,” said Susan Chen, a student from south China’s Guangdong Province, who returned to China last year after starting a master’s degree in Connecticut. “It could have simply said, ‘Spring has come and the flowers are in bloom, come and get the visa.'”

Recognition…US State Department

An embassy spokesman said Thursday that the United States has the greatest respect for all Chinese and that the social media post should be “lighthearted and humorous.” The spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity on the terms of the embassy, ​​said the staff had cut the post as soon as it became clear that many Chinese people saw the embassy differently.

The episode further shows how frayed US-China relations have become in terms of tariffs, human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region and a technological cold war, among other things. Travel between the two countries has been largely frozen by strict visa controls, due to both Covid-19 protocols and acidic relations. Even attempts to restore diplomatic normalcy were fraught with problems.

There are also potential financial implications for the US education sector.

About one million international students enroll in American universities each year. According to the Institute of International Education, more than a third came from China in the 2019-2020 academic year.

However, experts say universities in the US and other English-speaking countries could lose billions of dollars in the coming years because Chinese students and parents are upset about what they believe to be a permissive stance on public health during the pandemic due to travel restrictions and anger.

Last year, the Trump administration abandoned a plan to visa-withdraw international college students if they did not attend at least a few classes in person. Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and attorneys general from 20 states had complained about the proposed policy, saying it was ruthless, cruel and pointless.

Paul Mozur contributed to the reporting and Lin Qiqing contributed to the research.