WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A planned $1 billion cut in U.S. help to Afghanistan would come from funds for Afghan security forces, according to three U.S. sources, an action specialists stated would damage both Kabul’s capability to eliminate the Taliban and its leverage to negotiate a peace deal with them.
Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers stand guard at a check point near the Bagram Airbase north of Kabul, Afghanistan April 2,2020 REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed the reduction on March 23 and threatened to slash the exact same amount next year to attempt to force Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his political rival Abdullah to end a fight that has assisted stall U.S.-led peace-making efforts in Afghanistan.
After almost 20 years of fighting the Taliban, the United States is trying to find a method to liberate itself and to accomplish peace in between the U.S.-backed government and the militant group, which controls more than 40%of Afghan area.
Pompeo and other U.S. authorities have actually declined to openly information how the cut would be made. The State Department declined to comment on its plans.
Two U.S. congressional assistants, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, stated State Department authorities informed Congress the $1 billion would originate from a $4.2 billion Pentagon fund that u