Doha Agreement strengthened IEA and weakened our partners, says White House

Ariana News
February 29, 2024
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The White House press secretary says the signing of the Doha Agreement in 2020 strengthened the Islamic Emirate and weakened “our partners in the previous government of Afghanistan”.

Karine Jean-Pierre said in a press conference on Wednesday: “As you know, four years ago, the previous administration signed the Doha Agreement in 2020 with the Taliban [Islamic Emirate] and pledged to withdraw its forces a few months after President Joe Biden’s oath inauguration without any clear path or plan for the next plans.”

The Doha Agreement was signed on February 29, 2020, during the presidency of Donald Trump, between the United States and the Islamic Emirate in Qatar. US special representative at the time Zalmay Khalilzad and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the current deputy prime minister of the Islamic Emirate, signed the accord.

“This agreement strengthened the Taliban [Islamic Emirate] and weakened our partners in the Afghan government,” said Jean-Pierre.

Although Trump has repeatedly defended the signing of this agreement and has said that endless wars have taken American resources and lives and must end, the former US president and some Republicans have always criticized Joe Biden for how he left Afghanistan.

But the White House said: “President Biden’s choices for how to leave Afghanistan were heavily influenced by the conditions created by him [Donald Trump]. When Biden took office, the Taliban [Islamic Emirate] was in its strongest position since 2001, controlling or challenging nearly half of the country.”

American officials say that the Islamic Emirate had pledged in this agreement that they would discuss with other Afghan parties to form an inclusive government. But Jean-Pierre added: “The Taliban [Islamic Emirate] have not fulfilled their commitments in (the agreement). The [Islamic Emirate] Taliban have not kept their promises to start a meaningful dialogue with Afghans to pave the way for a comprehensive and inclusive political system.”

The White House spokesman said that the United States holds the Islamic Emirate accountable for its commitments and added: “We work tirelessly every day to ensure that these commitments are fulfilled.”

American officials say that according to the Doha agreement, the Islamic Emirate should not allow terrorist groups to reactivate in Afghanistan, use Afghanistan against other countries, and cut ties with terrorist groups.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [IEA] has always claimed that al-Qaeda does not exist in Afghanistan, Daesh has been suppressed, and does not allow anyone to attack another country from Afghanistan.

Doha Agreement strengthened IEA and weakened our partners, says White House