Biden: “Deteriorating Situation” in Afghanistan, Pakistan Poses Risk to U.S. and Allies
EmailABC News’ Karen Travers Reports: Vice President Biden warned NATO leaders today that the "deteriorating situation" in Pakistan and Afghanistan is a security risk to the United States and to Europe and asked them for ideas and support as the Obama Administration considers its policy in the region.
"It was from that remote area of the world that al Qaeda plotted 9/11. It was from that very same area that extremists planned virtually every major terrorist attack in Europe since 9/11, including the attacks on London and Madrid," Biden said. "We know that it was from this same area that al Qaeda and its extremist allies are regenerating and conceiving new atrocities to visit upon us."
Biden made the short visit to Brussels to consult with NATO and European Union leaders on Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of the Obama Administration’s strategic review of its policy there.
Biden reiterated what President Obama told the New York Times last week – the United States is not winning in Afghanistan.
"I think the President is accurate; we are not now winning the war, but the war is far from lost," the vice president said.
Biden noted the U.S. outreach to Sunni militias in Iraq and said the same principle applies to outreach to moderate members of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but it remains to be seen whether it can work there.
"There’s only one way, and that is to engage — engage in the process, looking for pragmatic solutions to accomplishing what our goal is; that is an Afghanistan that is, at minimum goal, is not a haven for terror and is able to sustain itself on its own and provide its own security," he said.
Biden said he agreed with the assessment from special representative Richard Holbrooke, after his visits to the region and throughout Afghanistan, and said that the vast majority of the Taliban are involved because they are getting paid.
"Five percent of the Taliban is incorrigible, not susceptible to anything other than being defeated. Another 25 percent or so are not quite sure, in my view, the intensity of their commitment to the insurgency. And roughly 70 percent are involved because of the money, because of them being — getting paid," Biden said.
Biden would not say what kind of concessions the U.S. would be willing to give the Taliban and was not asked whether it would involve money. He said whatever is decided must be presented by the Afghan government.
"The idea of what concessions would be made is well beyond the scope of my being able to answer, except to say that whatever is initiated will have to be ultimately initiated by the Afghan government, and will have to be such that it would not undermine a legitimate Afghan government," he said. "But I do think it is worth engaging and determining whether or not there are those who are willing to participate in a secure and stable Afghan state."
Biden urged the European leaders to look at the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan as one because they are intrinsically linked. "Success in one requires progress in the other; the imperative of a comprehensive approach with a strong civilian and diplomatic effort is necessary because we know there is no purely military solution to either Afghanistan or Pakistan," he said.
Biden promised the European leaders that their ideas will be built into the administration’s review, which will be presented to President Obama before he leaves for a NATO summit in Europe early next month. He made it clear that he was not there to present a policy or tell them what the Obama Administration was going to do. "I came to listen," the vice president said.
Later he emphasized the point again: "We’re here to consult. We’re here to listen. We’re here to come up with a joint strategy."
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“Later he emphasized the point again: “We’re here to consult. We’re here to listen. We’re here to come up with a joint strategy.”"
Yeah, sure. He makes wild statements about how bad everything is, then says he’s there to listen. I’m sure the front line troops feel more motivated now that their leader Biden says we’re not winning.
Posted by: Sigmonde | March 10, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am
Part of the problem for years has been NATO involvement. Afghanistan was segmented off with areas of responsibility for each contributing nation of NATO. This caused enormous problems as most of the European nations military are seen and used more as political tools than security forces. To give an example, on NATO nation that was responsible for a portion of Afghanistan were under political restrictions to only patrol at a certain time of day, to not return fire if fired upon, and not engage in the Opium growth in their area.
When American forces protested, they referred to their standing orders from their political leadership.
For many, if you want to fix Afghanistan, get rid of the areas of responsibility for each NATO nation and integrate them into a central mission, or kick them out all together. We cannot do country wide security until those barriers are removed.
Posted by: KR | March 10, 2009, 11:52 am 11:52 am
He may be right, he may be wrong. With Joe Biden who can ever tell.
Posted by: Ron | March 10, 2009, 11:55 am 11:55 am
Can’t imagine the bizarre alliance with McCain on Afghanistan and Iraq lasting too long if this the administration’s agenda.
Posted by: matt | March 10, 2009, 11:58 am 11:58 am
We need to turn Afghanistan into a bustling democracy. Ok just kidding. Vote for Ron Paul in 2012.
Posted by: Huh | March 10, 2009, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
“We’re here to consult. We’re here to listen. We’re here to come up with a joint strategy.”…
…because we don’t have a clue as to what we are doing.
Posted by: Beth | March 10, 2009, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
IDEA , let’s all critize every word,proposal, and move that absolutely anyone from this administration does (no matter what). Retroactive from inauguration day for the next 4 years. Even if we have to pretend to be former supporters. That should legitimize our time spent on these blogs.
Posted by: idea | March 10, 2009, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
Well at Least the Obama Administration is not being Like the Bush Administration BULLIES My way or Get Blown up, And they are Reaching out to Other Countries to Work Together!Not alinating them Some people Just cant take CHANGE!
Posted by: Angie in PA | March 10, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
Reaching out to “moderates” in the Taliban?
The Taliban has no “moderates.”
Another genius move.
Posted by: drjohn | March 10, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
Obama is going to lose Afghanistan.
I thought the entire world was going to love us once Barry was elected, but it seems not. Where are all those allies in Afghanistan Democrats promised?
Posted by: drjohn | March 10, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
Anyone who has not yet girded their loins, there’s still time left before Obama leaves our country defenseless.
Thanks for the warning, Biden!
Posted by: OxyCon | March 10, 2009, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
The “moderate Taliban” don’t use acid. They only throw boiling oil in women’s faces.
Posted by: OxyCon | March 10, 2009, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
Obamacrat for Palin-I used to support President Barack Obama, but Barack Obama says one thing and does another. He said he would get us out of Iraq. In fact, he still says he is getting us out of Iraq, he’s just leaving 50,000 troops in there indefinitely, that’s all. ————– don’t be fooled into thinking that this drawdown is allObama’s idea, this plan was already set in place by BUsh and the Iraqi leader. also Obama announced that he will deploy 12,000 that is meant for iraq to Afghantistan, what the MSM is not telling you is that he will send in another brigade to replace that 12,000 he is putting into afghanstian. so all the MSM andLiberals are cheering “wow he is soo smart and honest” it must be so nice for Obama to have the MSM cover for him daily. i hope more people like you are waking up. really politicians are not to be trusted period and that’s why we should all hold them accountable when they drift from their agenda.
Posted by: jaj | March 10, 2009, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
wow, Biden is still out there speaking? it is nice that Obama lets him out of his cellar once in a while. he said “we are losing the war in afghanistan” wow what a confidence booster! thanks for your faith in our miliatry.
because Biden said that i won’tbe surprise if we leave afghanistan with our tails between our legs in 1 year.
i can not believe that the WH wants to work with the talibans! i think they secretly want the women here in the US covered in burga (sp) and to be able to beat them to submission.
Posted by: jaj | March 10, 2009, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm
“don’t be fooled into thinking that this drawdown is allObama’s idea, this plan was already set in place by BUsh and the Iraqi leader.”
You mean the plan Obama had been advocating for most of the election that Bush under pressure from the Iraqis and desperate to preserve some sort of legacy finally signed onto last fall?
That plan?
Posted by: Ryan C | March 10, 2009, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
“You mean the plan Obama had been advocating for most of the election that Bush under pressure from the Iraqis and desperate to preserve some sort of legacy finally signed onto last fall?”
The discussions and planned for phased withdraw in Iraq started in 2006. If you think that the withdraw plan discussions between Iraqi leadership, our military leadership, and our political leadership was the brainchild of a Senator running for President, you are truly living in another world.
The phased withdraw was based on benchmarks being met, of which many have been met. Just so happened that last year, Petraeus put forth the first phased withdraw to happen in August of last year.
It’s absolutely fascinating how Obama supporters somehow attribute all of this to his campaign.
Posted by: KR | March 10, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Well, this should be fun?
Obama is having Biden run his mouth off about Afgahnistan. So much for putting forward a “better” America!
So when is Obama going to host the upper level members of the Taliban?
He is the one who was touting the idea of talking to anyone.
All you liberals out there who have been going off about Iraq, you had better get ready to hold your breath. You “guy” is going to get us into a mess 100X worse than Iraq!
You have been going on & on about the waste of money and lives in Iraq, get ready for many, many more dead. I mean soldiers & especially civilians! Are you going to harp day after day about the cost of what will occur in Afgahnistan?
Oh, by the way, are ANY of you demanding the exit strategy that you were all over Bush for?
Posted by: Mike_C | March 10, 2009, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
Only one thing to do, Joe – Surrender!
Posted by: Will Stanton | March 10, 2009, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Biden the Nostradamus had predicted that in the first six months of the Obama administration, there will be an incident or a challenge to national security. The Afghan and Pakistan troubles are nothing new and if anything they are more self destructive rather than a threat to the US main land or US navy. The repeated Chinese confrontation is a bit more serious and it does question the US naval power and makes a mockery of the US presence in International waters and maybe something in line with what Biden had predicted. Is it China flexing its muscle or testing the waters for its regional control.
Posted by: gjkotw01 | March 10, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
And they are Reaching out to Other Countries to Work Together!Not alinating them.
—————————————
Well… we’ve had a bit of a hitch with a couple….
Posted by: mad | March 10, 2009, 8:07 pm 8:07 pm
Ryan C-(1) take a Brigade sceduled to go to Iraq and schedule it to go to Afghanistan instead, then (2) make headlines for drawing down Iraq and building up Afghanistan, then (3) pull off substituting another Brigade into the Iraq rotation for the one you diverted without anyone in the media pointing out that your drawdown is a scam on the American public.
Question: Do you think that veteran and political organizations would have been all over George Bush for doing the same, say, in July of 2008?
Posted by: jaj | March 10, 2009, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm