Biden mulls Afghan options as troops deadline nears

KABUL/WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden is considering extending the May 1 deadline set last year by his predecessor Donald Trump with the Taliban to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan.

It’s going to be “hard to meet the May 1 deadline” to pull out all troops, Biden told his first news conference on Thursday since he took office, while noting he “can’t picture” the troops still being there next year.

It was the administration’s first direct answer to the withdrawal issue, without offering a precise timetable when the United States would end its military presence in the war-torn country.

Biden’s remarks came four days after US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, after which he told reporters the United States wants to see “a responsible end” to its longest war.

The deadline is part of the agreement the Trump administration signed with the Taliban in Doha last February. The Taliban still controls about half of Afghanistan after fighting against the NATO-led coalition forces and government troops in the Afghan War, which has lasted nearly 20 years since the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001.

Under the deal, all US and foreign troops are set to withdraw from Afghanistan. In return, the Taliban promised to prevent al-Qaida and other terrorist groups from using Afghan territory to threaten the United States and its allies.

As Biden wrestles with the withdrawal decision, the Taliban warned of dire consequences if the United States fails to pull out on schedule.

The Taliban tweeted on Friday: “Doha agreement is the shortest way to end the war in Afghanistan. If America fails to fulfill the agreement, the Islamic Emirate (name of the ousted Taliban regime) will be compelled to defend its religion and homeland.”

The United States appeared to be pushing forward stalled peace talks between the two parties in a bid to leave the country sooner, though the Afghan government requires a US military presence to deter the Taliban, experts said.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote to Ghani, proposing a UN-led peace conference in Turkey.

Washington may be able to pressure the two parties into a peace agreement this year, yet it will remain insubstantial for ending the conflict, considering the Afghan government and the Taliban remain far apart on a number of issues, said Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Research Center for Afghanistan at China’s Lanzhou University.

With regard to the US proposal of forming a transitional government, President Ghani reiterated a general election was the only way forward for the transfer of power in the Asian country.

A Taliban leader told media this month the Taliban would not join a transitional government.

Both Afghan analysts and senior US officers believe the Afghan government needs strong support from the United States.

The United States hesitated about when to withdraw due to persistent concern the Taliban did not have the will or the ability to truly cut ties with al-Qaida in a way stipulated in the Doha deal, said Zhu.