On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden meets Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his former political foe, Abdullah Abdullah in the Oval Office to discuss Washington’s support for Afghanistan. The last U.S. troops left after 20 years of war.
Ronald Neumann, a former U.S. ambassador to Kabul said that during a time of uncertainty when everyone’s morale is incredibly shaky and things are going downhill, anything one can do to help shore up morale and shore up the government is worth doing. He added that inviting Ghani at the Oval Office is a pretty strong indication that we’re backing him.
Congress was asked by Mr. to approve Biden $3.3 billion in security assistance for Afghanistan next year. They are also sending 3 million doses of vaccines there to help it battle COVID-19. On Thursday, Mr. Ghani and Abdullah discussed the situation in Afghanistan with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
However, Mr. Biden was pressuring Mr. Ghani to step aside for a transitional government under a draft political accord only months ago.
White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Mr. Biden will ask Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah, who are foes in Afghanistan’s two last presidential elections, to present a united front. Mr. Biden also said that U.S. will support for a negotiated peace deal.
