White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Doha agreement signed between the Taliban and the U.S. on Feb. 29, 2020, “empowered” the Taliban and weakened America’s allies in Afghanistan.
Responding to inquiries about Washington’s demands for the Taliban to fulfill specific commitments, Jean-Pierre highlighted the group’s failure to engage in meaningful dialogue with Afghan factions towards a negotiated settlement and inclusive political system.
“This agreement empowered the Taliban, weakened our partners in the Afghan government, and led to a commitment to withdraw our troops a few months after President Biden’s inauguration without a clear plan for what would follow,” she stated. Jean-Pierre emphasized the U.S. will continue to pressure the Taliban to meet their obligations.
The deal, negotiated by Trump’s special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and senior Taliban member Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was signed without the participation of President Ghani’s administration.
