France worried about possible U.S. pullout from Afghanistan

Shaimaa Yahia

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said his country opposes a planned American pullout from Afghanistan.

The expected pullout comes after the United States signed an agreement for a political settlement in Afghanistan with the Taliban in February this year. Talks between the two sides will also open the door for a comprehensive peace in Afghanistan.

Le Drian attributed his country’s position to the presence of what he called “Islamist extremism” in Afghanistan.

The attitude inside the French government is that the U.S. should not speed up the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.

This is why the French foreign minister is expected to discuss this issue with his American counterpart Mike Pompeo soon.

French concerns

Talk about a possible American pullout from the African Sahel region is opening the door for concerns over the security situation in the region after this pullout.

Terrorist groups are taking root and growing in the region and U.S. presence helps keep the lid on the spread of the terrorist threat there.

France depends to a great deal on the intelligence and the logistical support it gets from the U.S. in the African Sahel region.

Ramifications

The Taliban has called on U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to abide by the agreement it signed with the U.S. in February. The agreement makes it necessary for the U.S. to pull out of Afghanistan.

Some observers believe that the current tension on the results of the presidential elections in the U.S. will cast its shadows on peace talks in Afghanistan.