US should formulate withdrawal plan to save lives of remaining troops: Afghan Taliban

KABUL - The Taliban have advised the United States to formulate a withdrawal plan from Afghanistan, so that it can at least save those troops that are still alive, according to a newspaper.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan opines that the Americans have exhausted themselves in Afghanistan over the last nine years, and now will not stay long in our beloved country. What they could not gain in the last few months with their, then, fresh troops, they will not be able to gain in Kandahar, with their, now, demoralised and fearful troops,” The Nation quoted the Taliban website, as saying.

“It is becoming manifest that the Americans will not be able to conceal their defeat in Afghanistan for too long. Therefore, the White House, instead of counting their mounting casualties in Afghanistan, would be better advised to formulate a withdrawal plan, to at least save those troops, which are still alive,” it added.

The Taliban also claimed that the US troops’ failure in the Kandahar operations was the “main reason behind Obama’s supporters, the Democrats, defeat in the mid-term elections”, and due to the same reason, “Obama’s approval ratings in America have sunk to 46%, while the myth of America’s military superiority globally has been shattered.”

It noted that Friday’s NATO meeting in Portugal was also meant to address “how the foreigners can prevent the escalating death toll of their soldiers in Afghanistan.”

“Though the eleventh month in Afghanistan is generally very cold and naturally impedes any military undertakings, the Mujahideen have been so active in Afghanistan that midway through the month, the invaders (who hide 90% of their real casualties in Afghanistan) by their own count have lost over 23 soldiers in this month,” the paper quoted the Taliban website, as saying.

“In summary it has become clear that after nine years of occupation, the invaders are doomed towards the same fate as those that tread this path before them. Their troop surges, their new strategies, their new generals, their new negotiations, and their new propagandas have been of no avail,” the website added. (ANI)