Greatest Threat
WASHINGTON: US Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West, speaking at a seminar at the Stimson Center on Tuesday, identified the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the greatest threat to regional stability.
However, he acknowledged that the Taliban rulers had “significantly degraded” the capabilities of the militant Islamic State (IS) group.
Dave Smith, a former US diplomat in Islamabad, also discussed Pakistan’s role in today’s Afghanistan, noting that for many years, Washington viewed Pakistan through the lens of Afghanistan, but in the last two years, it had adopted a different perspective.
Tom West says Pakistan ‘helping’ US achieve its goals in Afghanistan
In his remarks at a seminar, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West posed the question of whether Pakistan was aiding or obstructing US goals in Afghanistan.
He stated, “On balance, they are a help. They are. They are certainly a partner when it comes to security issues.” West also emphasized Pakistan’s assistance in addressing relocation-related matters and refugee processing.
West highlighted the close ties between the Afghan Taliban and the banned TTP, noting that as the TTP was pushed across the border, they became allies of the Taliban, offering financial, logistical, and operational support.
When asked if the Taliban were supporting TTP attacks against Pakistan, West mentioned that he couldn’t discuss it publicly, but acknowledged it as a significant issue in Pakistan’s engagement with the Taliban. He identified the TTP as the group posing the greatest threat to regional stability.
Regarding Al Qaeda, West noted that the group was at its lowest point in the region and had significantly reduced its ability to threaten the US from bases in Afghanistan.
