As someone who’s done a lot of work on the #ANDSF, let me just say that having another six months to prepare them for no more US advising & air support—if used to ruthlessly simplify the force & its operating model—would really help the Afghan govt’s position. 1/n https://twitter.com/willruger/status/1348670867065204737

That this hasn’t been done so far is of course inexcusable but nonetheless a lot could be done over the next 9 months if a 6-month delay were secured, the right marching orders were given & leadership installed to aggressively execute those orders. 2/n

To me, a “responsible withdrawal” isn’t about securing a complete peace settlement before we go—the US foreclosed that possibility when it signed the US- #Taliban agreement’s 14-month withdrawal calendar; there was no way a complete deal was ever going to be done by then. 3/n

As a result, responsible withdrawal is about what conditions we leave behind...when we go before a deal is reached. We’ve already agreed to the “withdrawal” part—the “responsible” part is what remains. And leaving the #ANDSF as they are today is not responsible. 4/n

So, I’m in favor of an extension, as I’ve said before. But that time can’t just be another 6 months of hoping the two sides reconcile, because that’s unlikely to happen by SEP. 5/n https://www.lawfareblog.com/afghanistan-will-be-biden-administrations-first-foreign-policy-crisis

There’s a lot we can & should do to help diplomatically. But *way more* needs to be done to prepare the #ANDSF for our departure & having another 6 months—and some new strategic guidance—would really help the Afghan govt & the Biden admin’s case that it withdrew responsibly. 6/6