WASHINGTON: Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have welcomed the US decision to expand its combat role in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan has all along been advocating an orderly withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan and maintained that an abrupt withdrawal of forces will neither be in the interest of Afghanistan nor the region,” a senior Pakistani diplomat told Dawn.

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Senior US officials told CNN on Sunday that the Obama administration had now decided to “provide combat enabler support” to Afghan National Security Forces in “limited circumstances” to prevent detrimental strategic effects of possible enemy attacks.

Pakistani diplomat says Islamabad wants stability in neighbouring country

Another senior Pakistani diplomat said that there was “a convergence of views” between the United States and Pakistan on stabilising Afghanistan and the decision to give combat role to US troops who would stay there after 2014 was “a reflection of this convergence”.

Pakistan has been urging the United States “not to rush out of Afghanistan without putting things right,” said a Pakistani official.

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“We want stability in Afghanistan because we are their immediate neighbours and instability there will also have a direct impact on Pakistan,” he said.

In an earlier interview to Dawn, Pakistan’s Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani had said that complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan was not desirable.

“Even the talk of US pullout has started having its impact. Pakistan has started to receive more Afghan refugees than before,” he said. “This shows that the people of Afghanistan too have fears.”

Earlier Sunday, senior Afghan military officials also welcomed the Obama administration’s decision to expand the US military’s role.

“Our air force is not strong enough to support entire infantry units,” said Maj. Gen. Hamidullah, the top Afghan army commander for southern Afghanistan, based in Kandahar. “When we don’t have proper air support, the enemy targets our forces with heavy artillery from the mountains, destroying our positions.”

The New York Times reported on Friday that President Barack Obama has decided to extend the combat role of US forces in Afghanistan into 2015, allowing troops to keep fighting the Taliban and other militant groups that threaten American soldiers or the Afghan government.

Although it is a major policy shift, his opponents in the Republican-dominated Congress, have also welcomed the move, calling it a step in the right direction.

A senior Obama administration official, who spoke to CNN, said the new policy aimed at protecting US military personnel in Afghanistan.

“To the extent that Taliban members directly threaten the United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support to Al Qaeda, we will take appropriate measures to keep Americans safe,” the official said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2014