China has criticized the US State Department’s report on the withdrawal process from Afghanistan, stating that it was incomplete. During a press conference, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed the view that the US should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries under the pretext of democracy.
The spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the US State Department report failed to address crucial issues that warrant revision and reflection. These include the use of force against a sovereign country in violation of international law, interference in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of democracy, and selective anti-terrorist campaigns that have resulted in increased terrorist activities, civilian casualties, and destabilization in the region, Wang said.
In addition, Wang called for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen foreign reserves – a call also made by the Iranian Foreign Minister.
Simultaneously, Iran’s foreign minister, speaking at a meeting in Baku, expressed the belief that the resolution to the crisis in Afghanistan lies in the formation of an all-inclusive government and the return of Afghanistan’s financial reserves.
Amir Abdulahian stressed the importance of forming a comprehensive government that represents all ethnic groups in Afghanistan.
He also mentioned that Iran, as a host to millions of Afghan refugees, will continue its efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and called for the release of the country’s frozen assets.
Analysts have noted that these totalitarian structures require ideological and totalitarian systems to advance their plans, often at the expense of civil, social, and political freedoms of their citizens. Mohammad Isa Ishaqzai, an expert in international relations, provided this perspective.
Earlier reports revealed that in less than three weeks in June, Chinese officials had held eight meetings with senior Taliban representatives. Two days ago, however, the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan held a meeting with Amir Khan Mutaqqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister.
US State Department’s Report
A review conducted by the State Department, released on Friday, July 1, highlights the agency’s shortcomings in crisis management and awareness before and during the fall of Afghanistan. The findings are expected to be seized upon by Republicans and other critics who have accused bureaucratic inaction of contributing to the chaos and violence witnessed almost two years ago, marking one of the darkest moments for the Biden administration.
According to the report, both President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, failed to grasp the potential impact of a US military withdrawal on the stability of the Afghan government. The review also noted that routine summer rotations within the State Department left the responsibility of the US evacuation to personnel who had only recently arrived in the country.
The report’s identification of critical errors provides fresh evidence of the mayhem that ensued, leading to the oppressive Taliban regime taking control, the loss of many civilian lives, the deaths of 13 US service members, and a significant drop in Biden’s approval ratings. The timing of the report’s release, just before a long holiday weekend with little prior notice, is likely to draw criticism from those who believe the administration has sought to downplay scrutiny of its actions during the spring and summer of 2021.
Due to security concerns, large sections of the report were redacted, with only 23 out of 87 pages released. The focus of the analysis primarily revolved around actions and reforms within the State Department, rather than examining the White House or the Pentagon, both of which have already produced their own accounts of the disastrous final phase of the 20-year war.
The review highlights failures at various levels. At the highest level, officials displayed “insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow” after Biden affirmed Trump’s decision to withdraw the US military. Before the collapse of the Afghan government, it was unclear within the State Department who was responsible for preparing a full evacuation plan, which hindered their participation in the planning process, despite ongoing military efforts.
