‘US should leave Afghanistan before it is defeated totally’

ISLAMABAD - The US is heading for a catastrophic rout in Afghanistan like in Iraq and should hurry to leave these countries “or for that matter, the entire Asian continent” before its defeat becomes complete, an editorial in a Pakistani paper said Saturday.

“America is heading for a defeat in Afghanistan. Before it is humiliated by its defeat becoming complete, it should withdraw its presence from the country,” the editorial in the Nawa-i-Waqt said.

It cited US Vice President Joe Biden as announcing the end of the US forces’ combat mission in Iraq and a new mission for it called “Operation New Dawn”, which focuses on advisory, counter-terrorism and training roles.

Castigating the US for its actions in Iraq “where it had devastated the whole country after invading it on a spurious pretext” and “killed at least 20 lakh Iraqi citizens, women and children”, it charged America with “harrying and oppressing the people of Afghanistan, the same way it has done the people of Iraq.”

“Here also they (the Americans) have the blood of at least 20 lakh Afghan citizens on their head,” it said, adding it was the “wish of all peace-loving and war-hating people of the world that the US wind-up its presence in Iraq and Afghanistan as early as possible and return”.

“Or even better, withdraw its entire presence from Asia altogether,” the editorial urged.

“Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been living and managing to survive without American hegemony and will manage to do in the future also. We have no need to take a certificate of good manners and civility from America,” it said.

“The Americans should consider the lessons of history… When even the mighty British empire could not impose its will on the people of Afghanistan, how can the Americans, who are just half British, can seek to do so,” it said.