Political impasse has undermined U.S. efforts.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Kabul on Monday on what the State Department said is an urgent, unannounced one-day diplomatic rescue mission. He is working to bridge a political impasse that has undermined U.S. efforts to pull all troops out of Afghanistan.
The secretary is looking to inject new momentum into negotiations with the Taliban that stalled after the Trump Administration signed a deal with the militant group, setting out a timetable for the U.S. to withdraw all military forces. It is the first visit by the secretary to Afghanistan since the signing of the agreement last month.
The future of the agreement has been called into question by continued violence by the Taliban against Afghan security forces and by a high-stakes political dispute in Kabul.
“The fear is that unless this crisis gets resolved and resolved soon, that could affect the peace process which was an opportunity for this country that have stood in this 40-years-long war,” a State Department official said. “Now he’s come to help to push, to encourage and to point out what our expectations are and what that assessment is if they don’t do the right thing.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Pompeo as he re-enters into negotiations inside Afghanistan that will enable U.S. troops to come home.
- For the Taliban leadership to enforce the commitments it made to reducing terrorism and to a ceasefire.
- For peace in the region, and those who are working to make it happen.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, CNN
