Afghanistan Peace CampaignHe once again criticized the manner in which US forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has once again claimed that China is present at Bagram.
Speaking at a US military base in Qatar, Trump emphasized that Washington should have maintained the Bagram base, as it is only an hour away from China.
He once again criticized the manner in which US forces withdrew from Afghanistan.
The US president stated: “We wouldn’t have had the disaster of Afghanistan, the leaving. We were getting out, but we’re getting out with dignity and strength. We’re going to keep Bagram Air Base. We weren’t going to give that up because it’s one hour away from China. One hour. You know who occupies it now? China. The damage that that administration did to this country is legendary.”
This is not the first time Trump has commented on the Bagram airbase. He has previously highlighted Bagram’s importance to the US and repeatedly claimed that the base is now under China’s control—claims the interim government has called baseless.
Hadi Quraishi, military affairs analyst said: “They think Mr. Biden made a mistake in evacuating Bagram, while that’s not the case. Bagram should have specifically been handed over to us and their presence should have ended.”
Sayed Ebadullah Sadiq, political analyst said: “What need does China have for a military presence at Bagram, being only an hour away? China is a major power, and if it wants to engage with its rival, it can do so from within its own territory, not from Bagram.”
To date, the US president has repeatedly criticized the way American forces and equipment were withdrawn from Afghanistan, but he has not offered a clear policy regarding Afghanistan.