US State Dept Official: ‘I Don’t Think That Afghanistan is a Threat’

The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Pakistan Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US Department of State, Elizabeth Horst, said she believes that al-Qaeda cannot pose a threat to the United States from Afghanistan.

She appeared for a congressional hearing, during which she was also asked about recent remarks of the US President Joe Biden about al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

“I am stating that I don’t think that Afghanistan is a threat—al-Qaeda can pose a threat to the United States from Afghanistan, and when it does as we saw an example from al-Zawahiri, we are willing to go in and unilaterally take care of that threat,” she said.

This comes as political analysts said that the interim government should engage with the international community, particularly the US, to create a trust-building environment.

“Trust building is very important in this regard. The Taliban should engage in trust building with the world, particularly the US,” said Asadullah Nadim, a political analyst.

“Inside the country there should be tremendous steps to counter the terrorism and there should be practical and beneficial steps,” said Wahid Faqiri, international relations analyst.

Earlier, Biden in response to a question about “mistakes in Afghanistan withdrawal,” said: “Remember what I said about Afghanistan? I said al-Qaida would not be there. I said it wouldn’t be there. I said we’d get help from the Taliban. What’s happening now? What’s going on? Read your press. I was right.”