Afghanistan troop withdrawal may hinge on power-sharing deal
by Abraham Mahshie
| May 04, 2020 05:13 PM
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the 14-month U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is still on track, pending a critical power-sharing negotiation between the two leaders who both claim to be the president of Afghanistan.
"The Afghan government needs to organize itself and reach an agreement," Esper said at a Brookings Institution discussion on Monday. "We need to get this process on track. That is the way forward."
The U.S.-recognized Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and challenger Abdullah Abdullah are currently negotiating a power-sharing agreement that could restart the peace process initiated between the United States and the Taliban with an agreement inked in Dohan on Feb. 29.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/afghanistan-troop-withdrawal-may-hinge-on-power-sharing-deal
