Withdrawal now

This refers to the editorial ‘Uncertain future’ (July 10). You say that as against Pentagon’s advice not to withdraw troops hastily from Afghanistan, Trump seems to be prepared to bring back the remaining 8,000 troops from there, in order to improve his chances at the next election. And you suggest that since the policies pursued by the US and its allies put Afghanistan in the miserable situation it faces today, it is therefore their duty to ensure that they leave Afghanistan in a stable situation. However, the experience in Iraq, Syria and Libya clearly shows that the main interest of US and its allies, as regards Muslim states, is only to destabilize these and to cause unrest and devastation, with the welfare of Muslims being none of their concern. And if they choose to stay in Afghanistan, it would only be to destabilize neighbouring countries, with the help of India, especially Balochistan. After all, it was the US that brought Al-Qaeda as well as the Islamic State terrorists fleeing from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan.

The departure of the US and its allies from the region is in the interest of Afghanistan and its neighbours. I am sure that the gap created by the departure of Western troops from Afghanistan can be easily filled by China, which has both the financial as well as military resources to persuade/pressure the Taliban to adopt a reasonable course, while it can also dig up $3 trillion worth of mineral deposits in Afghanistan and bring prosperity to the poor country.

S R H Hashmi

Karachi