Meshrano Jirga urges Biden to reconsider US policies on Afghanistan

Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament) members on Tuesday called on US President-elect Joe Biden to reconsider US policies on Afghanistan that were mostly instituted during outgoing President Donald Trump’s tenure.

The senators said a review of policies would be in the interests of security in Afghanistan.

Biden is expected to be sworn into office on Wednesday and is expected to overturn some of Trump’s policies. However, his stance on the war in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of American troops is not yet clear.

The Afghan senators meanwhile also urged Biden to implement a Kabul-Washington security deal carefully.

“The US should respect and consider human values in their policies regarding Afghanistan. The US should implement the deal that was signed with Afghanistan.

“The US should reconsider its policy regarding Afghanistan,” said one senator, Kamal Bick Hussaini.

“The New US government should work for peace in Afghanistan, because the US-Taliban deal has been violated and needs reconsideration,” said Anarkali Honaryar, another senator.

“The US is a cause of most challenges in Afghanistan, the incoming US administration should work on a balanced policy toward Afghanistan, in order to get Afghanistan to stability and peace,” said Sayed Safiullah Hashimi, another senator.

Fazl Hadi Muslimyar, the speaker of the Meshrano Jirga, also said the US should support Afghanistan until lasting peace has been achieved.

“Interests are important for the US, we urge Biden and the US to back Afghans and act based on the Kabul-Washington pact,” said Muslimyar.

The senators believe the US can press the Taliban and their supporters to act honestly to end the war in the country.