Amrullah Saleh

8am: In an unexpected move, Tim Burchett, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has invited Amrullah Saleh, the former first vice president of Afghanistan under Ashraf Ghani’s administration, to visit Washington. This invitation has caused a stir in Afghan media. Burchett stated that he extended the invitation to discuss Afghanistan and its people with Saleh. He also emphasized that the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan poses a threat to the United States. Previously, Burchett had also expressed support for what is known as the Vienna Process, led by anti-Taliban forces. Although this process has so far managed to hold four meetings, it has not made any significant progress. Burchett’s invitation can be seen as part of a pattern, given that Michael McCaul, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had earlier invited Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan. That invitation was not declined but resulted in the dispatch of a delegation and a low-profile meeting that did not garner much attention. Click here to read more (external link).