72.4% Voters: Turkey Should Withdraw from Afghanistan

The declaration of the Islamic State of Afghanistan caused a new discussion in Turkish politics. Since the invasion of the United States in 2001, Turkish army forces has a garrison near the capital city, Kabul. However, with the withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan, the Taliban took the control of Kabul again and declared its absolute authority. The Taliban warns all foreign countries to pull their army forces back, including Turkey.

The discussion in Turkish politics about keeping or pulling back army forces in Kabul. Turkey should keep the army forces in Kabul due to its strategic advantage according to The chairman of MHP Devlet Bahceli. The defense of Anatolia is not done in Anatolia, it extends to Kabul, one of the strategic points of this line. Ankara cannot be safe if Kabul is not safe. In the face of rapidly changing and threatening conditions, the evacuation of our soldiers is the right choice, the right decision. However, if the need arises, Turkey’s presence in Afghanistan within the framework of mutual agreement is a requirement of our history, culture, and belief. The chairman of CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu warns the government about the price of keeping army forces in Kabul. He believes that Turkey should pull the forces back.

Turkey Monitor shows the speech of two chairmen as decisions of a question. 72.4% of voters think that Turkey should withdraw from Afghanistan while Turkey must stay in Afghanistan.