Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued warning to Afghanistan stating that “bad things” would happen if Kabul doesn’t return the control of Bagram air base back to America, while declining to rule out sending in the military to retake the air base from Taliban-led Afghanistan.
Trump had earlier suggested that he is trying to reestablish US presence at Bagram air base in Afghanistan, four years after America withdrew from the country in a chaotic manner and handed over the control of the air base to Taliban. Trump told reporters on Friday that he was speaking with Afghanistan about it.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.”
The withdrawal of the American military from Afghanistan in 2021 led to a takeover of US bases, and the US-backed government in Kabul was also toppled by the Islamist Taliban movement. Reuters reported that Afghan officials have expressed opposition to Trump’s plan for a US control over Bagram air base.
The Reuters report added that current and former US officials have cautioned that re-occupying Bagram air base would appear as a re-invasion of Afghanistan by America and the operation would require over 10,000 military personnel and advanced air defence systems to be deployed.
Trump first floated the idea of regaining control of Bagram air base during a press briefing with the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he concluded his two-day state visit to Britain and suggested that there’s an American need for a base in Afghanistan to counter its top rival, China.
When the US president was asked if would send the American military to retake the air base, Trump declined to give a direct answer, saying: “We won’t talk about that.”
While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, “We’re talking now to Afghanistan and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away. And if they don’t do it – if they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m gonna do.”
(with inputs from Reuters)
