KABUL – The withdrawal of US troops have left Afghan generals fearing forcollapse of Afghanistan in hands of Afghan Taliban.
Afghan Generals have warned it would be a blow to the morale of thecountry’s beleaguered security forces who come under daily attacks from theinsurgent fighters.
The announcement seems certain to complicate efforts to reach a peace deal,mostly because it gives the Taliban leverage by allowing them to hold offuntil a total US withdrawal, or step up their demands over a weakenedAfghan government.
“I believe the Taliban will see this as a reason to stall, and therefore itdisincentivizes the Taliban to actually talk to the Afghan government,which it has refused to do,” said Bill Roggio, an Afghanistan analyst withthe Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Afghanistan’s security forces rely heavily on US airpower against bothTaliban and an upstart Islamic State affiliate, and Afghan militaryofficials note the announcement by the Trump administration comes as thecountry’s security is at its worst since 2014, when more than 100,000 NATOtroops pulled out of the country and handed off security to Afghans.
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The US and NATO retreated into a training and advising role.
“A complete withdrawal of US forces would very likely cause the Taliban tomake gains in key areas throughout Afghanistan,” Roggio said. “This likelywould cause the general collapse of the (Afghan National Security andDefense Force) as a cohesive fighting force and lead to the return of thewarlords.”
