US-Afghanistan Dispute Over Peace Agreement with Taliban... "US Cannot Agree to Peace Plan"

Afghanistan Rejects Taliban's Proposal for Interim Government Formation
US Department of Defense States "No Decision Made Regarding US Troop Presence"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As tensions escalate between the U.S. government and the Afghan government over the peace agreement with the Taliban, concerns are rising that the U.S. government may find itself in a dilemma with the deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan fast approaching. The U.S. is pressuring the Afghan government to form a broad interim government including the Taliban to secure a peace agreement, but the Afghan government is firmly opposing this, stating it is absolutely unacceptable.

According to foreign media including Voice of America (VOA) on the 8th (local time), Afghan local Tolo News reported that Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, proposed to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani the establishment of a broad interim government including the Taliban to facilitate a peace agreement with the Taliban. It is known that President Ghani, along with the Afghan government and parliament, strongly opposed the proposal.

In a speech given that day, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh emphasized, "The U.S. and NATO have the right to mediate peace talks with the Taliban and to discuss the issue of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan with the Taliban. However, we cannot compromise on the fate of 35 million Afghans, and that is also our right," rejecting the U.S. proposal to discuss forming an interim government with the Taliban.

Earlier, on the previous day, foreign media including the Associated Press (AP) reported that the U.S. State Department had sent a draft peace agreement to the Afghan government and the Taliban, which reportedly stipulated that U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan would withdraw by May 1, as agreed between the previous Donald Trump administration and the Taliban. This sparked international controversy. NATO has consistently opposed the May withdrawal of U.S. troops, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin promised at a NATO meeting on the 18th of last month that "there will be no disorderly withdrawal." However, the U.S. government is concerned that violating the agreement with the Taliban could give the Taliban justification to revise the terms, and that the Taliban’s spring offensive could begin immediately, AP reported.

The U.S. Department of Defense has completely denied these reports. On the same day, John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated at a press briefing, "Negotiations with the Taliban are still under review, and until they are completed, no decision will be made regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan," emphasizing, "Everyone is mindful of the withdrawal deadline, but this issue must be resolved politically, not militarily, and nothing has been decided yet."

As tensions between the Afghan government and the U.S. grow, concerns are increasing that the Biden administration may face a dilemma regarding U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan. Within the U.S., public opinion overwhelmingly favors ending involvement and withdrawing from the 20-year-long Afghanistan war since 2001. Both the Democratic and Republican parties strongly advocate for withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to CNBC, the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that the U.S. government has spent $193 billion (approximately 220.213 trillion KRW) over the past 20 years in Afghanistan, and most Americans reportedly do not want further involvement.