Biden rules out changes in US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan
Washington, Aug 11 (PTI): President Joe Biden has ruled out any change in the US plan to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan despite the Taliban increasingly gaining control over large swaths of the war-torn country, saying Afghan leaders need to come together and fight for themselves and their nation.
President Biden in April ordered the withdrawal of all the US troops from Afghanistan by September 11 to end America's longest war.
The Pentagon's massive task of removing service members and equipment out of Afghanistan is nearly complete and the US military mission is slated to end by August 31.
No, Biden told reporters on Tuesday at the White House when asked if his current plan to withdraw troops could change at all.
Look, we spent over a trillion dollars over 20 years. We trained and equipped over 300,000 Afghan forces. Afghan leaders have to come together. We lost thousands -- lost to death and injury -- thousands of American personnel. They've got to fight for themselves, fight for their nation, he asserted.
The United States -- I'll insist we continue to keep the commitments we made of providing close air support, making sure that their air force functions and is operable, resupplying their forces with food and equipment, and paying all their salaries. But they've got to want to fight. They have outnumbered the Taliban, Biden said.
As the US troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban has made stunning battlefield advances despite being vastly outnumbered by the Afghan military.
Over the weekend, the Taliban seized five provincial Afghan capitals. Biden said the Afghans are beginning to realise they've got to come together politically at the top.
But we are going to continue to keep our commitment. But I do not regret my decision, he said.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the US went to Afghanistan to deliver justice to those who attacked them on September 11, to disrupt terrorists seeking to use Afghanistan as a safe haven to attack the US.
We achieved those objectives some years ago, she said.
We judge the threat now against our homeland, which is his responsibility as commander-in-chief to focus on, as being one where the threat emanates from outside of Afghanistan, she added.
The President asked for a clear assessment, for a review from his team on what the possible implications could be, she said.
"He asked them not to sugarcoat that. He asked them to lay out specifically and clearly what the consequences could be," she added.
I'll also note that we have provided a great deal and a range of assistance to the Afghan National Security Defence Forces and also proposed a significant amount of funding in the FY 2022 budget request for USD 3.3 billion for the Afghan Security Forces, she said.
So, he made a decision as commander-in-chief. Those are difficult decisions to make. He did it because after 20 years at war, it's time to bring our troops -- our men and women -- home. And we will continue to be partners and supporters of their efforts on the ground, Psaki said.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday that while the Biden administration plans to continue to provide air support, there was not much else the US military could do.
We will certainly support from the air, where and when feasible, but that's no substitute for leadership on the ground, it's no substitute for political leadership in Kabul, it's no substitute for using the capabilities and capacity that we know they have, Kirby said.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
