Nato nations formally agreed yesterday to start turning over Afghanistan’s security to its military next year and relinquish full control by 2014.
But the US and its allies appeared to disagree on when Nato combat operations would end.
The Nato secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said he did not expect its troops to stay in the fight against the Taliban after 2014.
“I do not foresee ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] troops in a combat role beyond 2014, provided of course that the security situation allows us to move into a more supportive role,” Mr Fogh Rasmussen said.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the UAE supported the transition of increasing responsibility to Afghan authorities.
“This meeting represents a momentous step for Afghanistan in its recent history.
"Entering this new phase is testimony to the progress made by Afghans throughout the country," he said.
However, although President Barack Obama says he's confident the US will be able to go ahead with its troop pull-out plan at the beginning of July 2011 an Obama administration official said the US had not committed to ending its combat mission at the end of 2014.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a decision on changing the US mission is not imminent because it is still unclear what the security needs and resources will be as the 2014 transition proceeds.
Each Nato member country will make an individual decision on when their combat mission will change, the official said.
The cautious US view may reflect a reluctance to forecast when combat will end so that the Taliban will not get the sense they can outlast their adversaries. It may also indicate less certainty that Afghans will be able to take control by 2014, and perhaps a greater eagerness among the Europeans to be done with combat.
The Taliban yesterday said that Nato was heading for defeat in Afghanistan. “It has become clear that after nine years of occupation, the invaders are doomed towards the same fate as those that tread this path before them,” the group said in an e-mailed statement.
Seeking to discount the apparent difference in views on combat beyond 2014, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that just because the US hasn’t decided to end its combat mission in 2014 doesn’t mean it couldn’t eventually do so.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates suggested yesterday that a combat role for US forces in Afghanistan was unlikely beyond 2014, but he did not rule it out.
On Friday, Ivo Daalder, the US ambassador to Nato, told reporters that the 2014 goal and the end of Nato’s combat role in Afghanistan “are not one and the same.” But many Nato nations have insisted they will remove all their troops by 2014. British Foreign Secretary William Hague reiterated that his country will end its combat role by 2015.
“That is an absolute commitment and deadline for us,” the British news agency Press Association quoted him as saying.
Many Nato nations are discussing reducing the troops they have in Afghanistan before 2014, but the Nato agreement did not specify when troop reductions could begin.
“We’re asking only one thing: To do our job as for long as necessary, but then leave as soon as the minute comes when Afghans can take control of their own destiny,” said the French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
*The National Staff, with agencies
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Barbie
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Greta%20Gerwig%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Margot%20Robbie%2C%20Ryan%20Gosling%2C%20Will%20Ferrell%2C%20America%20Ferrera%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
The%20pillars%20of%20the%20Dubai%20Metaverse%20Strategy
%3Cp%3EEncourage%20innovation%20in%20the%20metaverse%20field%20and%20boost%20economic%20contribution%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20outstanding%20talents%20through%20education%20and%20training%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20applications%20and%20the%20way%20they%20are%20used%20in%20Dubai's%20government%20institutions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAdopt%2C%20expand%20and%20promote%20secure%20platforms%20globally%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20the%20infrastructure%20and%20regulations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
