General Frank McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, will present a series of recommendations to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to monitor and fight “terrorist groups” in Afghanistan from beyond Afghan borders after troops withdrawal. 

According to a report in the Associated Press, the United States is holding talks with Afghanistan’s neighbors for basing troops and overflights rights. However, the talks would take significant time. 

US President Joe Biden had earlier announced the withdrawal of all its troops from Afghanistan by 11 September this year. However, the threat of terrorism and other global terrorist group using Afghan soil as a base remains there, especially when the security situation is rapidly deteriorating in Afghanistan. 

The US has been considering plans to use neighboring countries to monitor threats and maintaining the ability to strike targets inside Afghanistan.

Media reports suggested that Pakistan has already made it clear to the US that they won’t offer their bases to the United States. However, if Central Asian countries allow their bases for the United States, it would not go down well with Russia, which considers the region its backyard. 

China, too, unlikely to be pleased by the stationing of US troops in its vicinity. 

(SAM)