Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has suggested that his country would have preferred US forces to stay for a few more years.
Mohib told CBS News that Afghanistan would have preferred the US withdrawal to come “when our air force would have all the capabilities that we needed and then everything else would be in line for us to take over completely.”
“We’re as prepared as we can be,” Mohib said. “The circumstances are not perfect. It probably would not ever be perfect, but what we do is make the best of what we have and defend ourselves.”
Mohib also did not rule out possibility that Afghanistan would descend into civil war after foreign troops exit.
“My concern is people will panic,” he said, noting that non-government, non-military groups have already said they’re prepared to pick up the fight should the Afghan security forces crumble in the face of an emboldened militancy. But Mohib said that shows the extent to which the Taliban may be overplaying its hand.
“The Taliban have a lot of enemies in Afghanistan, and I think they underestimate how much people do not want them,” he said.
US and other foreign troops began final phase of withdrawal from Afghanistan on May 1. The process is expected to be completed by September 11.
