In a joint statement, the Quad leaders are committed to enhancing cooperation on counter-terrorism and humanitarian issues in Afghanistan.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington to strengthen ties between India and the United States, President Biden’s approval rating at home was low. During the eight months of Biden’s presidency, it has dropped to 43 percent, second only to that of President Trump. This is due in large part to increased US COVID-19 cases, as well as the disorderly US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
US, India, And Pakistan
US objectives in Afghanistan were revised by Biden retrospectively. The day after the Taliban occupied Kabul, he said that the two clear goals of the United States in Afghanistan had been “to get those who attacked us” and “to ensure that al-Qaeda would not be able to use Afghanistan to attack us again.” During his remarks, he noted the importance of human rights in the foreign policy of the United States and pledged to speak up for Afghan rights.
Nevertheless, President Bush had announced the day after the September 11 attacks that the U.S. As the day of Operations Enduring Freedom’s launch, he said its mission was meant to disrupt terrorist use of Afghanistan as a base of operations. It was also a war against governments that support or shelter those who seek to export terror.
Within weeks, the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate collapsed. Early in 2003, CIA and ISG produced a joint operation in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, that led to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the 9/11 attacker. During the May 2011 raid on Abbottabad, Pakistan, the US special forces killed Osama bin Laden. Obama then told the Afghan leadership that it was Afghanistan’s responsibility to deal with the Taliban.
The security of one country cannot be put at risk for the security of another. Afghans were shocked by the stealthy withdrawal of nearly 20,000 US troops and contractors on July 1. To leave, the contractors incapacitated the electronic air defense systems on critical planes and helicopters that had been left behind. In addition to the tools and manuals, the contractors removed the aircraft. After capitulating with the Taliban, the Afghan government collapsed.
With a real politic-driven withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden has tarnished the country’s reputation and cast doubt on its honesty. Defending the abrupt withdrawal of US troops, Biden said the country would focus its attention on direct threats to the U.S. mainland. Restricted capabilities will be sufficient. President Obama had ordered the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan while Senator Biden was Vice President. According to him, his son would not risk his life in Afghanistan to fight for women’s rights. As a result, the United States appears to be a fair-weather friend.
Modi and Biden discussed terrorism and AfPak issues as well as COVID-19, climate change, the Quad, and building a transformative India-US partnership. India and the United States reaffirmed their shared fight against global terrorism and pledged to take concerted action to curb cross-border terrorism in their Joint Leaders’ statement released after the talks. Proxies used by terrorists were condemned. To the Taliban regime and Pakistan, the message emphasized the importance of denying logistical, financial, and military assistance that could lead to the launching or planning of terrorist attacks.
India’s concerns are important to the United States, but its priorities in Afghanistan differ from India’s. Their interests are more closely aligned east of India. The purpose of India’s involvement in Afghanistan was to empower Afghans to take decisions for themselves. As a trade, transportation, energy, and minerals hub connecting South and Central Asia, India hoped that the Afghan people would build a peaceful and stable nation. Under the present circumstances, both of these objectives seem far away.
US priorities in AfPak differ significantly from those in Europe, as Biden has emphasized in recent statements. While everyone is aware of Pakistan’s double-dealings, there has been no retribution. If the United States wants to retain real military capabilities in Afghanistan, it may be necessary for India to prepare for continued transactional collaboration between the two nations. For the United States, Pakistan will remain relevant, but less so than it had been before the US pullout.
How Quad Will Engage In AfPak
Modi’s visit was significant due to the first-ever in-person meeting between leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). From informal consultations among officials, the Quad has become a formal forum for multi-level, plurilateral dialogue among its four members. They clarify that the group was not formed as a coalition against China, which describes it as an “exclusive closed clique”.Â
As a result of an online meeting of the Quad’s leaders in March, the statement spoke of the four countries striving for “an open, democratic, democratically anchored, and free region, free of coercion.” China was not mentioned in the statement. Malabar naval exercises are conducted by the Quad nations; the last one took place in November 2020.
During the White House meeting on September 24, Modi called the Quad a force for global good. The Quad agenda was broadened by all participating countries by adopting a variety of norms, standards, and economic partnerships. According to the Quad leader’s Joint Statement issued on Friday, adherence to international law is critical to eliminating challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China seas.
Three members of the Quad actively participated militarily in Afghanistan (Australia, the United States, and India); two members (Japan and India) contributed development efforts to Afghanistan. How the Quad countries will engage in the AfPak region depends on how the United States disengages from Afghanistan. They are off to a good start. They expressed their attitude towards Afghanistan and the warnings of Pakistan that were made in the India-US Joint Statement.
