The week
Austin seems to take a softer approach than Blinken on a surprise visit to Afghanistan
In what the Associated Press described as a “firmly drafted” letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for urgency in the government’s peacemaking process with the Taliban before the deadline for withdrawing American troops in May 1 that the administration may end up extending. On Sunday, however, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who made an unannounced visit to Kabul on the way back from India, seemed to take a different tone when meeting Ghani. “I didn’t … convey a message to [Ghani], “Austin, who is the first member of the Biden Cabinet to visit Afghanistan, told reporters after the meeting.” Once again, I really wanted to hear from you and understand what your concerns were, to see the landscape through your eyes. This is what we did. I really got a chance to hear it. And it was very useful for me. “” I came to Afghanistan to listen and learn. “-> A decidedly different tone from @SecDef Austin compared to @SecBlinken, which was quite straightforward in his letter (first published by @TOLOnews) to the Afghan president, making it clear that the US expected” urgent leadership “from him. Https : //t.co/GuFluYyf5k – Amanda Price (@amandaruthprice) March 21, 2021 Austin did not provide updates on whether the U.S. will adhere to the May 1 deadline, which was defined in an agreement reached between the Trump administration and the Taliban, saying only that the decision will rest with President Biden, Afghanistan’s TOLO Television reported that Ghani and Austin expressed a common concern about the increase in violence in Afghanistan and a long-term peace agreement in the country remains the goal for the American More stories from theweek.comA jump in social security benefits Trump’s chief researcher explains why Ron DeSantis may be ‘inheriting’ Trump’s role in the fall in the GOPAmér’s fertility rate ica