MESOPOTAMIA NEWS CHANGING WORLD : US LEAVING AFGHANISTAN

Washington Pulls $1 Billion in Aid to Afghanistan
Washington will reduce aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion this year due to a leadership impasse in the country that is hindering a U.S.-brokered plan for Afghan talks with the Taliban, the U.S. State Department announced.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attempted to negotiate (NYT) a power-sharing agreement in Kabul between Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, the official victor of a recent election, and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who also claimed victory. Pompeo said aid could be restored if the Afghan leaders change their behavior, otherwise $1 billion could also be cut in 2021. Pompeo said cuts would not affect U.S. assistance to Afghan security forces, while Ghani said his government aims to reverse the U.S. decision (TOLO) and seek alternate sources of funding.

 
Analysis
“The secretary’s sudden trip from Washington, even with the novel coronavirus upending life in the United States and consuming its government, was a dramatic indicator of U.S. officials’ growing alarm at the lengthening political stalemate here — both for its potential to erupt into a violent civil conflict and to undermine the peace process,” Pamela Constable and John Hudson write for the Washington Post.

“It is essential that the US promise to provide the Afghan government with long-term economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military support,” writes CFR President Richard N. Haass.