Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin indicated Friday that the violence in Afghanistan cannot continue for him to recommend to President Biden that the United States fully withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
“The violence must decrease now,” Austin said at his first Pentagon briefing.
“The bottom line is this: We are committed to a responsible and sustainable end to this war, while preventing Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups,” he added in public remarks following the conclusion of his first NATO ministerial meeting Thursday.
Also following the meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated that she would leave troops in Afghanistan past May — but only if the U.S. does so.
“Withdrawal must not mean that the wrong forces will get the upper hand once again,” Merkel said at the Munich Security Conference Friday. “Germany is prepared to stay longer if it is in the interest of the success of the mission.”
In the 12 months since a peace deal was signed between the U.S. and the Taliban calling for a full U.S. withdrawal by May 1, violence has spiraled out of control, according to commanders and observers.
A recent congressionally mandated Afghan Study Group report called for an extension of the deadline and keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan longer.
Only 2,500 troops remain in Afghanistan, part of a counterterrorism and advise-and-assist mission that has been frequently interrupted to allow U.S. troops to protect Afghan government forces from being attacked by the Taliban.
The Afghan Study Group warned that a full withdrawal on schedule would lead to civil war.
On Friday, Austin said NATO allies did not expect an American decision by the ministerial meetings, and the Defense Department is watching Afghan government and Taliban negotiations closely.
“I walked our allies through our thinking as the new administration comes to grips with the reality on the ground,” Austin told defense reporters.
“We are mindful of the looming deadlines,” he said. “We are conducting a rigorous interagency review of the situation, including all relevant options, with full consideration of the consequences of any potential course of action.”
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Stephen Lynch held an Oversight and Reform subcommittee on national security hearing with the members of the Afghan Study Group.
“Nearly 20 years of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan might very well be defined by the next three to six months,” he said in his opening statement. “Likely with profound consequences for U.S. national security and the future stability of the region.”
Lynch said America’s longest war has cost the lives of 2,400 Americans, wounded 20,000 more, and cost taxpayers more than $860 billion.
Austin insisted that no decisions about force posture had been made, and he would not reveal his recommendation to Biden.
For now, he said that the Defense Department will closely watch the progress of Afghan-Taliban negotiations and wait for violence to decrease.
“I certainly won’t get ahead of any decisions, nor will I preview the advice that I plan to give to the president,” he said. “Clearly, the violence is too high right now, and more progress needs to be made in the Afghan-led negotiations.”
