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U.S. envoy to Afghanistan resigns in wake of Taliban takeover

The U.S. particular consultant for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, introduced he’s stepping down from his function lower than two months after america’ chaotic withdrawal from the nation.

“Tomorrow, I step down from my place because the Particular Consultant for Afghanistan Reconciliation,” Khalilzad mentioned in his Monday resignation letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken obtained by NBC Information.

“I made a decision now’s the best time to take action, at a juncture once we are getting into a brand new part in our Afghanistan coverage,” he mentioned.

Critics have accused Khalilzad of losing any leverage the U.S. may need had in Afghanistan by agreeing to a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops with out setting any situations for a cease-fire and peace accord between the Taliban and the Afghan authorities led by President Ashraf Ghani.

His defenders have argued the envoy was handed an unimaginable process, given the tight deadline set by the Trump administration for america’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Khalilzad’s choice to resign comes after three years of unsuccessful U.S.-backed negotiations between the Afghan authorities and the Taliban. The talks ended with America’s hasty and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August and the Taliban’s takeover of the nation.

In his resignation letter, Khalilzad, who was appointed to the function in 2018 below the Trump administration, made no point out of the U.S. withdrawal and evacuation of U.S. residents and different at-risk residents.

As a substitute, his letter amounted to a protection of the 2020 Doha settlement that opened the best way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

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Khalilzad strenuously defended the deal in his letter, laying the blame on the Taliban and the Afghan authorities for failing to grab the prospect to barter an finish to the battle.

He mentioned the settlement meant “the struggle is lastly over for america” and that America will now be capable to commit assets that had been spent on the struggle to “different very important wants.”

Khalilzad additionally mentioned the deal had supplied “a highway to peace” and a “historic opening for severe negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the Taliban to finish the struggle.” However he mentioned the Afghans had failed to make use of the chance to barter a peace settlement, including that he was “saddened on behalf of the Afghan folks.”

Afghans wait to go away the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16.Wakil Kohsar / AFP – Getty Photos file

“It’s regrettable, however it’s not the ultimate chapter. Even the Taliban describe themselves as an interim authorities,” he mentioned.

The 2020 settlement with the Taliban was hailed by then-President Donald Trump as a breakthrough and was totally endorsed by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who attended the signing ceremony with Taliban leaders in Doha, Qatar.

However critics accused the Trump administration of negotiating a “give up settlement” with the Taliban and have blasted the Biden administration for going forward with the deal.

“Our secretary of state [Pompeo] signed a give up settlement with the Taliban,” H.R. McMaster, who served as Trump’s nationwide safety adviser earlier than the deal was signed, mentioned on Bari Weiss’ podcast Truthfully final month.

“This collapse goes again to the capitulation settlement of 2020. The Taliban didn’t defeat us. We defeated ourselves,” McMaster mentioned.

Though Pompeo backed Khalilzad’s effort and was available for the Doha ceremony, he didn’t signal the accord. As a substitute, Khalilzad put his signature to the deal.

As one among few Trump appointees to maintain his function after President Joe Biden got here into energy, Khalilzad remained comparatively low-profile lately, making few public feedback within the months main as much as the U.S. withdrawal.

He was broadly anticipated to step down as soon as the exit of troops from Afghanistan was full.

In an announcement printed Monday, Blinken introduced Khalilzad could be succeeded by Thomas West, who beforehand served because the deputy particular consultant for Afghanistan.

West, who served on Biden’s nationwide safety workforce when he was vice chairman within the Obama administration, will lead diplomatic efforts and coordinate intently with the U.S. Embassy Kabul presence in Doha on America’s curiosity in Afghanistan, the secretary of state mentioned.

This comes because the State Division’s inspector common knowledgeable Congress on Monday that her workplace could be launching a collection of investigations into the Biden administration’s Afghanistan withdrawal.

In a letter obtained by NBC Information, Diana Shaw, the State Division’s appearing inspector common, knowledgeable the heads of the Senate International Relations Committee and the Home International Affairs Committee, in addition to the Home and Senate intelligence committees, that her workplace could be finishing up “a number of oversight tasks” round the U.S. departure.

Reuters contributed.

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