Taliban Rejects Trump's Proposal on US Reclaiming Bagram Airbase Control in Afghanistan
In a significant development, the US-backed government in Afghanistan collapsed during a retreat, leaving the strategic Bagram airbase vulnerable. This base, located in Parwan province in Afghanistan's east, was abandoned by the US in 2021, marking the end of a 20-year American presence in the country following the 9/11 attacks.
Bagram airbase, once a bustling hub with fast-food restaurants such as Burger King and Pizza Hut, as well as shops selling electronics and Afghan rugs, now stands abandoned. Its proximity to China is a concern, with the US President, Donald Trump, stating that it is approximately an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.
The base would need to be defended from various threats, including ISIS and Al Qaeda militants, if it were to be retaken and held. According to a US official, this would require tens of thousands of troops, a significant undertaking.
The Taliban, who currently control Afghanistan, have dismissed any return of the US military to the country. The Taliban official rejecting this idea is Haibatullah Akhundzada. An Afghan Foreign Ministry official, Zakir Jalal, has also expressed that Afghanistan and the United States need to engage with each other without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan.
The US President, Donald Trump, has expressed interest in regaining control of Bagram airbase. He stated that it is one of the most powerful bases in the world due to its runway strength and length. Trump suggested that Washington could acquire the base with some kind of Taliban consent.
However, the current US President, Joe Biden, has been heavily criticized by Donald Trump for surrendering the Bagram airbase, despite the fact that Trump set the terms for the US withdrawal by negotiating a deal with the Taliban during his first term in power.
The Pentagon is currently carrying out a review into the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, which included a messy retreat with a suicide bomber killing at least 170 people outside Kabul airport. The base's vulnerability to missile attacks from Iran, which targeted a major US airbase in Qatar in June 2021 during the 12-day war with Israel, is another concern.
Resupplying the base would be difficult, as stated by the US official, adding to the challenges of any potential US military presence in Afghanistan. The base's strategic location and its historical significance make it a complex issue in the ongoing US-Afghan relations.
