Tag: withdrawal

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Pentagon Accelerates Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Pentagon Accelerates Withdrawal From Afghanistan

In order to keep an eye on the military situation on the ground, the US military would like to continue to use a version of the so-called combined situation awareness room, in which it coordinates with its Afghan colleagues (often via WhatsApp), passes on information and provides air support and other forces on the Battlefield. However, it remains unclear where the command center would be, with options like the American embassy or out of the country.

Although the Afghan Air Force has become increasingly powerful in recent years, American drones and other surveillance aircraft are still providing important target information. And although US strikes have been reduced under extremely restrictive rules of engagement, they still occur when international forces depart and Afghan security forces struggle to assert themselves.

US military officials believe the United States will deploy significant numbers of reconnaissance aircraft to continue to aid the Afghan armed forces, but will limit air strikes only to “counter-terrorism operations,” a loose description used in the past to denote one Justify variety of actions.

In the absence of bases to position aircraft near Afghanistan, American aircraft must fly from bases in the Middle East or from aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea to support Afghan forces or conduct counter-terrorism missions from “over the horizon”.

For surveillance drones and propeller-driven aircraft, this means journeys of several hours just to get to Afghanistan.

For jets based on aircraft carriers, this means frequent refueling stops in the air. As US land-based jets leave Afghanistan, US forces struggle to meet demand for aircraft carriers as tankers have to refuel. Currently, the jets aboard the USS Eisenhower in the Arabian Sea can only handle around 75 percent of inquiries about Afghanistan, a military official said.

General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., head of Pentagon Central Command, was asked by lawmakers last month about the challenges of countering terrorist threats in Afghanistan after American troops left is not impossible. “

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Politics

U.S. army continues Afghanistan withdrawal as Israel-Gaza violence ensues

U.S. military continues Afghanistan withdrawal as Israel-Gaza violence ensues

Lance Cpl. Patrick Reeder, with Combined Anti-Armor Team 2, patrols Nawa district, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2009.

Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. James Purschwitz

WASHINGTON – Since President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, the US has completed up to 20% of the withdrawal process from the country, the US Central Command said on Tuesday.

Command monitored the removal of approximately 115 loads of equipment in C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. More than 5,000 pieces of equipment that will not be handed over to the Afghan military have also been handed over to the Defense Logistics Agency for destruction.

The US has also officially handed over five facilities to the Afghan military. Central Command estimates the US has completed between 13% and 20% of the withdrawal process so far.

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

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.

Biden’s withdrawal schedule breaks with a proposed deadline agreed by the Trump administration and the Taliban last year. All foreign armed forces should have left Afghanistan by May 1 under this agreement.

Last month, the White House confirmed that US troops had begun withdrawing from Afghanistan. The Pentagon was proactively deploying additional troops and military equipment to protect the armed forces in the area, the government said.

The central command has not disclosed the number of troops currently stationed there due to operational security measures.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas will not curb the Biden government’s ambitions to complete a full withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In a phone call Monday afternoon with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden raised concerns about the rising civilian death toll and called for a ceasefire.

Violence between militants from Israel and Hamas has increased for more than a week. Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip have resulted in at least 212 Palestinian deaths, according to the authorities there.

Meanwhile, Israel has said that more than 3,400 rockets have bombed its cities. At least 12 people have died in Israel.

The violence marked the largest escalation of the conflict in years. On Tuesday, the European Union became the youngest organization to call for a ceasefire.

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Politics

U.S. begins Afghanistan withdrawal, deploys army property to guard troops

U.S. begins Afghanistan withdrawal, deploys military assets to protect troops

U.S. Marines board a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Cpl. Alejandro Pena | U.S. Marine Corps Photo

WASHINGTON – The White House confirmed Thursday that the U.S. military has begun its withdrawal from Afghanistan and has proactively deployed additional troops and military equipment to protect the armed forces in the area.

“Potential opponents should know that if they attack us as we retreat, we will defend ourselves. [and] our partners, with all the tools at our disposal, “White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling on Air Force One.

“While these measures will initially lead to an increase in the armed forces, we continue to advocate evicting all US military personnel from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021,” she said, adding that the Biden administration is unifying Intended “safe and responsible” exit from the war-torn country.

The Pentagon has temporarily delivered B-52H Stratofortress aircraft to US Central Command, the combatant command that oversees American operations in the Middle East. A US Navy strike group is also in the area to provide assistance.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby has previously said that the Department of Defense leadership will continue to consider the need for additional military capabilities as U.S. and coalition forces continue to migrate.

Earlier this month, Biden announced a full withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, ending America’s longest war.

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.

Biden’s withdrawal schedule breaks with a proposed deadline agreed with the Taliban by the Trump administration last year. According to this agreement, all foreign armed forces should have left Afghanistan by May 1st.

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World News

US Navy Begins Remaining Withdrawal from Afghanistan

US Military Begins Final Withdrawal from Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – The US military has begun its full withdrawal from Afghanistan, the American commander in chief said Sunday, marking the beginning of the end of the United States’ nearly 20-year-old war in the country.

“I now have a number of orders,” said General Austin S. Miller, head of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan, at a press conference by Afghan journalists at the US military headquarters in Kabul, the capital. “We will conduct an orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, and that means that bases and equipment will be handed over to the Afghan security forces.”

General Miller’s remarks come nearly two weeks after President Biden announced that all US forces would be out of the country by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drove the United States in its long war in Afghanistan.

Mr Biden’s announcement was received with uncertainty in Afghanistan as it prepares for a future without a US and NATO military presence, despite a Taliban uprising that appears poised for military victory despite peace talks.

If the Taliban return to power – either through violence or through incorporation into government – they will likely take back women’s rights, as they did during their harsh rule in the late 1990s.

For now, the Afghan security forces, which have survived a particularly difficult winter, are holding the line. Taliban offensives in the south and repeated attacks in the north despite the cold weather have resulted in increasing casualties ahead of a potentially violent summer in which US and NATO forces are retreating. Although the Afghan military and police combined are believed to have around 300,000 employees, the real number is believed to be much lower.

“I am often asked how the security forces are doing. Can the security guards do the work in our absence? “General Miller said. “And my message has always been the same: you have to be ready.”

General Miller added that “certain equipment” must be withdrawn from Afghanistan, “but wherever possible,” the United States and international forces will leave material for the Afghan forces.

There are approximately 3,500 US troops in Afghanistan and approximately 7,000 NATO and Allied forces. These NATO forces are likely to pull out along with the United States as many countries in the coalition depend on American support.

At the head of the international armed forces in Afghanistan there are also around 18,000 contractors in the country, almost all of whom will also be leaving. General Miller said some of the treaties “need to be adjusted” to continue to support the Afghan security forces, which rely heavily on contractor support, particularly the Afghan Air Force. The thousands of private contractors in Afghanistan perform a variety of roles including security, logistics, and aircraft maintenance.

According to last year’s peace agreement with the Taliban, US and international forces should withdraw from the country by May 1. Under the deal, the Taliban have largely refrained from attacking US troops. However, it remains unclear whether the insurgent group will attack the withdrawing forces after Mr Biden decided to set the final deadline later in September.

“We have the military means and the ability to fully protect our armed forces and support the Afghan security forces during retrograde development,” said General Miller.

American troops are still spread out in a constellation of around a dozen bases, most of which contain small groups of special forces advising the Afghan military. To cover the withdrawal, the American military has provided significant air support, including positioning an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf in case the Taliban decide to attack.

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Politics

Biden, Setting Afghanistan Withdrawal, Says ‘It Is Time to Finish the Endlessly Warfare’

Biden, Setting Afghanistan Withdrawal, Says ‘It Is Time to End the Forever War’

Mr. Bush chose not to publicly question Mr. Biden’s decision.

“As he has maintained since leaving office, President Bush will refuse to comment on private phone calls or his successors,” said Freddy Ford, his chief of staff.

A number of Afghan governments failed to maintain control of large parts of the country for years after the first invasion. This is at the core of the American military’s “keep clear, build” strategy. While a number of Afghan leaders, backed by the United States and its allies, pledged to fight corruption, end the drug scourge and establish stable governance, all of these achievements have proven fragile at best.

Women have played a more prominent role in government, and girls have been trained to an extent not seen before the war began. However, the future of these achievements is in doubt if the Taliban gain more ground.

In a statement on Twitter, President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan said his country “respects the US decision and we will work with our US partners to ensure a smooth transition.” He added that his country’s security forces are “fully capable of defending its people”.

But privately, according to people who spoke to him, Mr. Ghani was annoyed about the American decision. He fears that this will encourage the Taliban and give them little to no incentive to stick to the terms of the deal they made with Mr. Trump a year ago. And many around Mr Ghani fear that his own government, whose influence has already waned, could fall if the Taliban decide to take the capital, Kabul.

“Just because we’re pulling out of Afghanistan doesn’t mean the war is over,” said Lisa Curtis, one of Trump’s top national security officials on Afghanistan. “It’s likely to get worse.”

Mr Biden is the first president to oppose the Pentagon’s recommendations that any withdrawal be “conditional,” meaning that security must be ensured on the ground before Americans withdraw. If military officials have argued for a long time, they would signal the Taliban to just wait for the Americans – after that they would offer little resistance to taking further control and possibly threatening Kabul.

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Politics

Austin travels to Afghanistan as troop withdrawal deadline looms

Austin travels to Afghanistan as troop withdrawal deadline looms

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (R) will meet US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on March 21, 2021 in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Presidential Palace / handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Afghanistan Sunday to meet with the nation’s leader as Washington contemplates a possible end to America’s longest war.

The trip that makes Austin the first Biden cabinet-level official to visit the war-torn country comes 40 days before the U.S. troop withdrawal date.

In February 2020, the United States signed a treaty with the Taliban that would usher in a permanent ceasefire and further reduce the US military’s footprint from around 13,000 soldiers to 8,600 by mid-July last year.

According to the agreement, all foreign armed forces would have left Afghanistan by May 2021. There are currently around 2,500 US troops in the country.

The Biden government has not yet announced its next steps in Afghanistan.

The collective wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria have cost US taxpayers more than $ 1.57 trillion since September 11, 2001, according to a Department of Defense report.

Current US military operations, known as Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Iraq, and Operation Noble Eagle for homeland security missions in the US and Canada, accounted for $ 265.7 billion of that total.

Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, which began in October 2001 and officially ended in December 2014, cost taxpayers $ 578.7 billion.

Of the three ongoing operations, Freedom’s Sentinel accounts for the lion’s share of the cost at $ 197.3 billion, followed by Inherent Resolve at $ 40.5 billion and Noble Eagle at $ 27.9 billion.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin goes for a walk during his visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, March 21, 2021.

Presidential Palace / handout via REUTERS

According to the report, the money will be used for training, equipment, maintenance, food, clothing, medical care and payment of troops.

Last month, the most powerful military alliance in the world met to discuss a number of challenges facing the group of 30. The way forward in Afghanistan was at the top of the agenda. NATO joined the international security effort in Afghanistan in 2003 and currently has more than 7,000 soldiers in the country.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would continue to assess the situation on the ground in Afghanistan.

“Our goal is to ensure that we have a lasting political agreement that will allow us to leave in a way that doesn’t undermine our primary objective and that prevents Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven again.” [for terrorists]”Said Stoltenberg.

“The majority of the troops come from European allies and partner countries. We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our troops are safe,” he said when asked if the alliance would be prepared for violence if the deal with the Taliban is reached is broken.

Austin told reporters shortly after the NATO meeting that the withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan would depend on reducing violence in the country.

“The violence needs to decrease now,” Austin said in his first press conference with reporters. “I have told our allies that regardless of the outcome of our review, the United States will not make a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan,” he said, referring to the NATO virtual meetings.

“There will be no surprises. We will consult, consult together and decide together and act together,” said Austin of the NATO-led mission.