Biden purges main non-NATO ally — RT World Information
The US president will revoke Afghanistan’s particular standing, nearly a yr after the Taliban takeover
US President Joe Biden notified Congress on Wednesday that he’ll formally revoke Afghanistan’s standing as a “Main Non-NATO Ally,” nearly a yr after the final American soldier left the nation on his orders – and the Washington-backed authorities melted in Kabul away earlier than the Taliban.
Biden has despatched an official discover to the US Home of Representatives and the Senate of his intent to rescind Afghanistan’s designation, the White Home mentioned. It was not clear when the change would take impact.
Afghanistan was initially designated as a MNNA beneath President Barack Obama in 2012, over a decade after the US invaded and overthrew the Taliban authorities in Kabul, accusing it of harboring worldwide terrorist Osama bin Laden. The designation helped Washington absolutely fund Kabul’s army funds for years.
The designation is “a robust image of the shut relationship the US shares with these international locations and demonstrates our deep respect for the friendship” for them, in response to the State Division. Whereas it gives some army and financial privileges, it “doesn’t entail any safety commitments to the designated nation.”
A complete of 20 international locations and territories – together with Taiwan, an island China considers its rightful territory – have been formally or informally granted this standing for the reason that class was created in 1987. Among the many advantages the designated international locations can count on are the flexibility to purchase surplus US weapons and ammunition, use US financing to purchase or lease army gear, entry to upkeep contracts, and the flexibility to affix Pentagon analysis tasks on a shared-cost foundation.
Biden’s resolution to revoke Afghanistan’s standing isn’t stunning as a lot as overdue. The final US soldier left Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, with the nation firmly in Taliban fingers by that time. The US-backed authorities had successfully surrendered Kabul to the Taliban two weeks prior, ensuing within the deliberate departure of US troops turning right into a mass evacuation involving diplomats, Western nationals, and over 100,000 Afghans who managed to get to the airport.
Washington has refused to acknowledge the brand new authorities, and has since frozen and partly confiscated the Afghan central financial institution belongings in its possession.