US shames Afghan leaders' obstinance even as pandemic looms

Washington's unprecedented threat to cut $1 billion in Afghanistan funding a response to the refusal of rivals in Kabul to work together to advance peace comes at a time when the impoverished nation risks being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

There was no immediate response on March 24 from President Ashraf Ghani and his bitter rival, former Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called them out in a harsh statement.

Pompeo on March 23, in an unannounced but urgent visit to Kabul, held inconclusive meetings with Ghani and Abdullah, then flew to the Gulf to meet with a leader of the Taliban, the Afghan insurgents who last month signed a peace deal with the U.S. as a first step toward withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan by mid-2021.

Pompeo said the Trump administration would slash $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and reduce all cooperation unless Ghani and Abdullah agree on forming a new government. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane on the return flight home, Pompeo said he was hopeful the two rivals "will get their act together and we won't have to", cut the assistance. "But we're prepared to do that,", he said.

As part of the peace deal, rival factions in Afghanistan were to come together in all-Afghan talks about shaping the country's future.

However, Washington made clear from the start that the pace of a U.S. troop withdrawal is linked to the Taliban clamping down on terror groups and aiding in the fight against ISIL, not on the success of intra-Afghan talks.

A senior Afghan official familiar with Pompeo's discussions in Kabul said on March 23 there were no results but that efforts would continue.

The official did not indicate a compromise...