Lavrov: US Prolonged Afghanistan Presence Instead of Fighting Terrorism
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, referring to the September 11, 2001 attacks, said Moscow was ready at the time to cooperate with the United States in combating terrorism in Afghanistan.
Lavrov said that following the attacks, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution that provided the basis for US operations in Afghanistan.
According to Lavrov, instead of eliminating terrorism, the United States decided to maintain its presence in Afghanistan.
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said: “A broad global coalition was also formed on the basis of that resolution, and we were sincerely prepared to cooperate with them in various areas. But ultimately, instead of eliminating terrorism, the Americans decided to stay there, and their presence continued until the recent events.”
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan War Commission has announced that its mandate to review the 20-year US war in Afghanistan has been extended for another year.
The commission said the extension will provide additional time to complete its comprehensive and independent assessment, with its final report now scheduled for release in August 2027.
The Afghanistan War Commission stated: “This extension gives us more time to complete our comprehensive, independent, and rigorous assessment of the 20-year US war in Afghanistan. Our final report is now scheduled to be released in August 2027.”
Asadullah Nadim, a military affairs analyst, said: “Major secrets concerning the presence of the United States and its allies in Afghanistan, as well as issues related to Afghanistan’s present and future and US intelligence policy in the country, will remain hidden for decades. However, considering the enormous costs incurred by the United States in Afghanistan and the human and financial losses, the presence was not worth it.”
This comes as the manner of the US military withdrawal and the consequences of its two-decade presence in Afghanistan have remained subjects of debate in Washington since the end of the US military presence in August 2021.
