It is time to end America's longest war: US President Joe Biden on Afghanistan
Washington, Apr 14: US President Joe Biden says it is time to end America's longest war in Afghanistan and he does not want to pass on this responsibility to his successor, according to excerpts of his speech to the nation he plans later Wednesday.
Biden is the fourth US president to preside over the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001, soon after Al Qaeda terrorists based in Afghanistan attacked the twin-towers in New York.
Observing that the US went to Afghanistan because of a horrific attack that happened 20 years ago, Biden will say that he "cannot explain" why the US should remain there in 2021.
"Rather than return to war with the Taliban, we have to focus on the challenges that will determine our standing and reach today and into the years to come," Biden will say.
A day earlier, the White House said that Biden has decided to withdraw all American troops out of war-torn Afghanistan by September 11 this year, the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York.
"We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan hoping to create the ideal conditions for our withdrawal, expecting a different result, Biden will say according to excerpts of his speech released by the White House.
"I am now the fourth American president to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan. Two Republicans. Two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility to a fifth, he will say.
"After consulting closely with our Allies and partners, with our military leaders and intelligence professionals, with our diplomats and development experts, and with Congress and the Vice President, I have concluded that: It is time to end America's longest war. It is time for American troops to come home," Biden will say.
"While we will not stay involved in Afghanistan militarily, our diplomatic and humanitarian work will continue. We will continue to support the Government of Afghanistan," he will say.
"We will keep providing assistance to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces. Along with our partners, we are training and equipping nearly 300,000 personnel. And they continue to fight valiantly on behalf of their country and defend the Afghan people, at great cost, the president will say.
"We will support peace talks between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, facilitated by the United Nations, he will say.
The US and the Taliban signed a landmark deal in Doha on February 29, 2020 to bring lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan and allow US troops to return home from America's longest war.
Under the US-Taliban pact signed in Doha, the US agreed to withdraw all its soldiers from Afghanistan in 14 months.
Since the US-led invasion that ousted the Taliban after the September 11, 2001 attacks, America has spent more than USD 1 trillion in fighting and rebuilding in Afghanistan.
About 2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with tens of thousands of Afghan troops, Taliban insurgents and Afghan civilians.
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SC imposes Rs 5 lakh costs on Centre for filing frivolous petition
New Delhi, Apr 25: The Supreme Court has imposed costs of Rs 5 lakh on the Centre for challenging a Meghalaya High Court order, holding it was "sheer abuse" of the process of law.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma said there was no occasion or justification for the Union of India to have challenged the order by way of a Special Leave Petition.
"The present petition is sheer abuse of the process of law. The petitioners are cautioned not to file such frivolous petitions in future.
"We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment(s) and order(s) of the High Court. Accordingly, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed with costs for the reason that before the High Court counsel for the petitioner (UoI) submitted that the matter was squarely covered by a previous decision and, accordingly, the High Court had disposed of the matter on the statement of the counsel for Union of India," the bench said.
The top court was hearing an appeal against the High Court order which upheld a Central Administrative Tribunal judgement.
The High Court had disposed of the matter after noting the Central government's submission that a similar plea had been rejected earlier.
"We, accordingly, impose a fine of Rs.5,00,000 to be paid by the petitioners which shall be deposited in Account of the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund, Canara Bank, Branch South Block, Defence Headquarters, within eight weeks...
"After depositing the said amount in the aforesaid fund, the petitioners to file proof of such deposit with the Registry of this Court within a week thereafter," the bench said.
