Situation in Afghanistan has become further complicated with its ties with Pakistan at an "all-time low" and "too many external players" entering the arena, a powerful US lawmaker said today calling for a change in America's approach in the war-torn country.
"It is one of the situations where we are going to have change in our approach and past practice of gauging our actions in Afghanistan on number of troops so that we can get them all out rather than achieving the goal of defeating the Taliban to stalemate. We are not going to win stalemate," said Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in a breakfast meeting with Defence Writers Group.
He said the situation in Afghanistan has further become complicated with the relationship between Kabul and Islamabad at an "all-time low" and that too many external players have entered the arena.
The new Chief of Staff of the Pakistan's Army, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is "much more aggressive" than his predecessor Gen (rtd) Raheel Sharif, McCain said.
"And we know the status of the military in Pakistan," he told reporters in response to a question.
"This is a very challenging issue. Not only Taliban, Al Qaeda is established there, Iranians are there, Russians are there," he said ruing the role of multiple countries that do not have a relationship with the Taliban or groups that are opposed to elected government.
"It is one of the situations where we are going to have change in our approach and past practice of gauging our actions in Afghanistan on number of troops so that we can get them all out rather than achieving the goal of defeating the Taliban to stalemate. We are not going to win stalemate," McCain said.
A day earlier, McCain met with the visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, who is currently in the US to attend the anti-ISIS global coalition meeting.
Rabbani in his address to a Washington-based think-tank slamming Pakistan for being the destabilising factor in the war-torn country.
"Pakistan's reluctance to end its support for terrorism underpins the continuation of violence in Afghanistan and the region. And this constitutes a violation of our territorial integrity, as Pakistan violates our airspace and frequently shells eastern Afghanistan," he said in his address to Atlantic Council.
"These routine violations undermine any prospect of normal bilateral relations, and pose a serious threat to peace and security in our region and beyond. Earlier this week, we again engaged with the Government of Pakistan at a trilateral initiative convened in London, hosted by the Government of the UK. Discussions focused on a mechanism, through which outstanding issues could be resolved," he said.
He praised India for its support in the development of the war-torn country.
"India is an important partner in providing support where their means has allowed. We have encouraged India to further expand our cooperation based on the Indo-Afghan strategic partnership agreement. We also enjoy constructive relations with other regional countries based on the principles of mutual respect," Rabbani said.
The foreign minister said "a paradigm shift" in Pakistan is needed if any progress is to be made in peace efforts with the Taliban.
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