KABUL // Many Afghans fear that the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan beginning next month will plunge the country into civil war.
The US president, Barack Obama, announced on Wednesday that 5,000 of the 100,000 US troops would pull out within the next few weeks while another 5,000 will leave by the end of the year. About 33,000 troops will be out of Afghanistan by September 2012, Mr Obama said.
Analysts consider the troop reduction the first step in ending 10 years of war in Afghanistan for the US, which spends US$10 billion (Dh36.7bn) a month fighting Taliban-led insurgents in the country. The US makes up the bulk of the Nato forces in Afghanistan. Other nations quickly announced that they would also start bringing troops home.
The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, yesterday announced the progressive withdrawal of France's troops on a timetable matching the US pull-out. France has about 4,000 troops in the country.
Britain, the second-largest contributor to the Nato force, will bring home 450 troops this summer, Prime Minister David Cameron said.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and his UK counterpart, William Hague, made a surprise three-day joint visit to Afghanistan that ended yesterday.
The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, said yesterday that the nation's youth would stand up to protect the country. The Taliban, in an English-language statement to the media, promised to continue their fight.
"The transition of the security and the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan means the Afghan forces must be strengthened," Mr Karzai said in Kabul, adding that he welcomed the withdrawals as "a good measure".
Mr Obama and Mr Karzai have both endorsed initiating peace talks with the Taliban in a bid to end the war.
Violence is now at its highest level since the US invaded the country in 2001, and many fear it will only get worse.
Last year was the deadliest for Afghans, according to the United Nations, with civilian deaths up by 15 per cent from 2009 to 2010 as Nato takes its fight to the Taliban in key Afghan provinces.
"The Americans should not leave Afghanistan until 2020," said Zmaray Zalmay, a 30-year-old aid worker in Kabul.
"We have the experience of 1992," he said, referencing the year the Soviet-backed communist government in Afghanistan fell, sparking a civil war. "We have Russia, China and Pakistan to worry about. We need America."
Some Afghans are looking for a way out of the country. For them, Mr Obama's announcement has only solidified decisions to escape.
"I am planning to leave as soon as I can, to western Europe or Canada," said Zabiullah Shadman, the owner of a women's clothing store in Kabul who lived in Afghanistan during both the civil war and under the Taliban regime from 1996-2001.
"Security is bad. Business is bad. We don't trust our government to take care of us."
In addition to Taliban attacks, ordinary Afghans and policymakers alike are worried about the readiness of the Afghan national security forces.
Nato has spent $20bn on training Afghan police and army recruits since 2009, with the goal of boosting both forces to more than 300,000 members by October.
The Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police are marred by corruption, drug use and desertion, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, a US government oversight body for Afghan reconstruction funds. Coalition leaders are also worried about Taliban infiltration among Afghan ranks.
"Before foreign forces leave, we need to be self-sufficient. We need to be able to stand on our own two feet," said Major Mohammed, spokesman for the Afghan Border Police. "We are still unable to do that. We don't have the right weapons or the right training."
Yet not all are convinced the presence of US or Nato troops ensures security, citing a recent rise in bloodshed across the country and growing resentment of foreign troops in even the most anti-Taliban areas.
A US congressional report on US aid to Afghanistan released earlier this month found that large aid initiatives "fuel corruption" in the country.
Observers also noted that Nato's support for village-level, anti-Taliban militias is contributing to a rise in violence.
"For the past 10 years, with the Americans here, the situation has turned from bad to worse," said Ghulam Habib, a member of a local district council in the northern province of Takhar.
"The presence of the Taliban and Al Qaeda has increased day by day, which shows the US strategy cannot bring security," he said, concluding, "So they can go."
Shah Wali, a money-changer in Kabul, said that with Nato and the US gone, the Taliban and Al Qaeda will no longer use Afghanistan as its primary base for attacks against the West.
"People are happy about the foreigners leaving. Al Qaeda is fighting here because they were," said Mr Wali. "Our demand, as Afghans, is a peaceful environment, whether the foreigners are here or not."
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
The Scale for Clinical Actionability of Molecular Targets
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Match info:
Leicester City 1
Ghezzal (63')
Liverpool 2
Mane (10'), Firmino (45')
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
The Book of Collateral Damage
Sinan Antoon
(Yale University Press)
Results:
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres
Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m
Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
8.15pm: Meydan Trophy Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m
Winner: Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) | $250,000 (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Poetic Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (D) | 1,200m
Winner: Lava Spin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m
Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Don't get fined
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- Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
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