By Afshain Afzal

It was October 2001, US President George Bush authorized its military to begin strikes on Afghanistan, claiming that there exist terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. Nearly after two decade, US President Joseph Biden says that war in Afghanistan was never meant to be a multi-generational undertaking. We were attacked. We went to war with clear goals. We achieved those objectives. Bin Laden is dead, and Al Qaida is degraded in Iraq and in Afghanistan. And it’s time to end the forever war. The golden words of President Biden’s 14^th April announcement says, “US troops, as well as forces deployed by our NATO Allies and operational partners, will be out of Afghanistan before we mark the 20th anniversary of that heinous attack on September 11th.” However, President Biden cautioned, We’ll hold the Taliban accountable for its commitment not to allow any terrorists to threaten the United States or its allies from Afghan soil… And we’ll focus our full attention on the threat we face today… And the Taliban should know that if they attack us as we draw down, we will defend ourselves and our partners with all the tools at our disposal.”

The fact is undeniable that President Donald Trump had withdrawn even the remaining non-combat American troops from Afghanistan last Christmas leaving handful of personnel and security contractors, some say 250 to be precise. Now the new US leadership, President Biden claims that Washington has decided withdraw whole of its troops from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021. Inline with the President Biden’s announcement regarding troops withdrawal NATO agreed on 14 April to begin withdrawing foreign forces, which according to US Secretary of State are roughly 7,000 non-American forces in Afghanistan, would be departing from Afghanistan from 1 May. The two contradictory statements on attributable to President Donald Trump while the other to President Biden cannot be correct at the same time. More so, Americans are giving impression that their deployed-troops’ strength in Afghanistan is to the tune of 25,000 but same if far from the reality as troops movement and ground evidences proves that American combat-troops withdrawal took place some ten years back.

In an interesting moves, ever since February deal between US and the Taliban for the timetable of handlful of remaining American personnel, the attacks and killing of Afghan government forces have increased, which means those who do not wish return of Taliban and withdrawal of foreign forces are behind all these attacks, not matter who takes the responsibility by fake claims on media. Interesting, the compromised faction of Taliban having link with defected elements have started giving instigating statement about US withdrawal as "Victory of Taliban" to pressurize US Administration to look for alternates. In a recent development, Haji Hekmat, the mayor in Balkh district was quoted by western media saying, "We are totally prepared for peace, and we are fully prepared for jihad… Jihad is an act of worship which more you do, you don't get tired." Haji Hekmat said, “Jihad will be waged to bring Sharia to this country. Whoever stands against us we will fight against them." He claimed that Qatar-based Taliban group;s decision will be followed, "Whatever they decide we will accept."

It is on record that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan a day after President Biden announced his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021. Blinken in a statement at US Embassy in Kabul reassured that the US would continue to combat the terrorist threat in Afghanistan. If we critically examine the 14^th April statement of President Biden he said, "Rather than return to war with the Taliban, we have to focus on the challenges that are in front of us. We have to track and disrupt terrorist networks and operations that spread far beyond Afghanistan since 9/11." There is no doubt, US has shifted its Afghan-policy to digital through electronic monitoring and Artificial Intelligence surveillance, thus, waging war through sea and air or third country with risking its troops presence in target country through drones, long-range bombers and spy networks. The same method Washington would apply in an effort to prevent Taliban returning to power in Afghanistan, threatening US’ strategic objectives. In a nutshell, Americans and NATO troops would be leaving Afghan soil but they will be there digitally with actual presence in sea, air and land in a remote location.