US troops leaving Afghanistan is bad news for Taliban
Marines from the 2nd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment return fire in Afghanistan after the enemy fired an RPG rocket at their position on July 15, 2012.
NELVIN C. CEPEDA, THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE/TNS
By WAHAB RAOFI | Special to Stars and Stripes | Published: April 27, 2021
President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan triggered backlash from some in the media and members of Biden’s own administration. Some analysts say the plan to pull out all troops by Sept. 11 jeopardizes Washington’s peace negotiations with the Taliban and increases chances for an upsurge in violence.
But the decision is sound and based on a lesson learned: The conflict in Afghanistan cannot be solved by military means.
For the past 20 years, the Taliban have used the word “invasion” as justification for their religious obligation to carry on jihad against the infidel invaders, much as the mujahedeen did during the 1980s when they were fighting against the Soviet Union. They had plenty of young Afghans from madrassas in Pakistan to recruit.
https://www.stripes.com/opinion/us-troops-leaving-afghanistan-is-bad-news-for-taliban-1.671315
