Well the u. S. Confront russia on alleged found healings in afghanistan the kremlin says its fake news and President Trump denies being told about the members of Congress Calling for. The control of a c. Shaped efforts to end americas longest war this is inside story. Hello welcome to the program on iran come on russia is denying paying fighters linked to the taliban in afghanistan to kill u. S. Troops the allegation is triggering renewed debate on donald trump strategy to end the war d and his relationship with Vladimir Putin. The neal times says investigators focused in part on its howl about an attack that killed 3 u. S. Marines and afghan contractor an american on the base intelligence reports were given to the white house as early as february President Trump denies being told about members of Congress Want to know why they werent told either a criminal official told inside story that the bounty killing claims are fake news alan fischer reports from washington. From the white house podium a denial the president was ever briefed on the socalled bowing to kills the now say this that the u. S. Receives thousands of reports a day on intelligence america subject to strict scrutiny while the white house does not routinely comment on alleged intelligence or internal deliberations the cia director and n. S. A. National security adviser and the chief of staff can all confirm and neither the president nor the Vice President were briefed on the alleged russian russian bounty intelligence. Afghanistan is americas longest war american troops have been there for 19 years and despite talks of a peace deal theres no indication to leave anytime soon america helped contribute weapons to push russia out of the country in the 1980 s. And killed russian mercenaries in syria 2 years ago now according to the New York Times its payback time newspaper says the russians offered cash for kills Coalition Soldiers and general american soldiers in particular but from the kremlin another denial. 1st of all those statements are laws secondly if in the United States special services are still answerable to the u. S. President then i suggest focusing on President Trump statement he really gave an appraisal of those reports he did in a tweet entail just reported to me that they did not find this info credible and therefore did not report to me or v. P. Possibly another fabricated russia hoax that says the white house explains why there has been no response from the american side the story didnt stand up on capitol hill lawmakers have demanded an intelligence be focused on who knew what and when and if the president was in fact briefed intelligence sources tell Media Outlets not only is the information solid it was given to the highest level of the white house but theres still a lot of Unanswered Questions and while there remain unanswered there lies a potential risk to a president whos had a difficult relationship with russia from even before he took office alan fischer al jazeera. Lets bring in our guests from washington d. C. Rich invites defense expert at the wiki struck global consultancy from moscow nicholas circle the Senior Research fellow at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations and from kabul the wall former ambassador of afghanistan in a slow boat and a former minister of finance a warm welcome to you all lets start in washington d. C. With richard whats this really 2 issues here isnt there richard firstly there is the one of the president denying that he was actually told about these allegations there are u. S. And reports suggesting that he was actually told about them on february 27th he says he wasnt and then theres actual the actual russian stance itself the russians are actually paying bounties to the taliban for u. S. Skulls effectively lets get to the 1st one 1st why is why this reaction from the president do you think he wasnt told i think hes lying sure i would actually beg to differ i think the most important question is what is what happened and then what are the implications for russian policy in the region russian u. S. Relations but to answer your specific question we dont know yet they can certainly find out if this material was included in a president ial race but we dont know if you read that we dont now if a person briefed it to him orally he has alternative sources of information he uses so that will you know thats something that can be perhaps resolved but we may never know by the end i think the most important question is what does this mean for the future of russia u. S. Relations the future afghanistan Going Forward well i mean is there some question we will get into that but i have to say you just said that the president has alternative sources of the nation alternative to the cia i mean they are pretty good. Yes but we know it makes mistakes we saw that with the iraq war and so on his Modus Vivendi is to draw on personal envoy was what he gets from media. Friends Family Business experts he gets a wide range of sources information and its possible this was included in what he got from saying but whether it stood out to him or whether you know he wasnt convinced of the credibility or whether the people who briefed them maybe said doubts we just we just dont know that yet that can be sorted out but they need to go back look at the records and so on because the cove in moscow we were told by a criminal official that this was simply fake news is a general. Situ to the criminal. Well a good afternoon and yes i think this is the general attitude of the kremlin and the experts in moscow because this whole d story looks like a very clumsy approach occasionally from one of the russian perspectives we know that there is very it sounds that come competition. In the light of the economy new president s show elections so i think. Opponents of donald trump are simply using every opportunity to show that he is a better president his that his not suitable for his job this is theres the main goal of this publication because even the authors of this article they actually pointed out that there are the motivations for such an activity are not clear and the sources of this information were not that reliable so you know usually a respectable newspapers dont bob wish articles of that kind this is very strange because these if these accusation turns to be true then it will be a major blow for u. S. Russia relations that you can understand what it wants nobody wants that in moscow actually it s. Thought as i know moscow is looking for ways to improve relations with the u. S. And took operate whenever its possible for example in syria and on counterterrorism so i dont think of the moscow will release heaven and no other round town surreal ations with the west just to make some strange to achieve some strange goals in afghanistan i say could be commuted nobody understands what what will these kind of behavior i mean providing bounties to taliban fighters what will it bring to you to russia what kind of benefits well lets find out from a fund of some we have a halo d here is the foma. Afghanistan to islamabad welcome to the show now its an interesting question isnt it. Afghan governments have been negotiating now with the taliban for a long time those negotiations have gone very slowly the taliban have been emboldened because they do have a lead support from pakistan for example and now these allegations that they may have had support from russia as well has this emboldened the taliban and do you believe the reports of Russian Support to the taliban. 1st of all to correct the Afghan Government has not. The money the us. Did you go she issued this to us sullivan who you issue. To stop in the interim after negotiations with respect to that if an active. Involvement to be honest with you. I do not find it credible we need to look at it in a broader picture. In. Reading this in. d National Security. Bulletin. With within which i dont want to highlight really deep disagreement the difference is that in britain on peace talks with the taliban in the. Absence of u. S. Forces not on it but it would be a complete with ah well some sort of this will this who remain. As you would suspect that perhaps. Differences have played some role in this intelligence if you need to. Whether that this was a document that it just it was generated intelligence who should doubt the u. S. Administration tough with the button perhaps. Change the nature of. The timing of that evolve to be done. Why with the russia he thought it out in 2001 when russia. Is on that ive been. Asked may do it with us when used to be. And we know that the people that might have done well have to be in the press this stuff yet we also know theres actually a dust up with none of. Us was there some other. Got to reflect on that. How then did national fare war to why i think youre going to start. Rational when. Im in it. And you know what its not going to be if they. Think that there should be it will be an. End in it. But theyre not muslims. You will not buy if it were true that he and the taleban create one you can just you know on and on lot and not be read to kate who are. Thought well thats one of the drilling rights and why its here in washington d. C. To respond to a couple of those well our guests in moscow in kabul are pouring scorn on the reports that the taliban unless reason they would have accepted money full of this so is the issue now then getting back to this not just russias role within afghanistan but the russian relationship with america and with President Donald Trump he has a he certainly has a relationship with Vladimir Putin whether its a good one i dont mean or schol but he seems to often take the side of the russians when it comes to things like this is there a problem. Well i actually find the reports possible credible and so on you know they there has been an active russian taliban talks we the russians confirmed they said this is basically to discuss the Common Threat the islamic state. We know that russia has has diverse tools in the country these include a regional organizations working with former members and Northern Alliance forces held several conferences in moscow and elsewhere discussed peace talks the same time we know that the g. R. U. Men other elements of the russian and and military intelligence Industrial Complex and the National Security community are active in afghanistan and other locations nearby im of what are you some of the Central Asian countries for example being russian allies so it is possible that there were some kind of payments made by somebody to some taliban groups but they the key question getting back to what the point in the race is we dont know was this a local initiative perhaps you know this is just the Standard Operating Procedure of the unit that was there maybe revenge for what the u. S. Supports and much i. D. N. In the afghan civil war of the 1980 s. Maybe we calley ation for u. S. Policies in syria you know the british were possibly included in the targets so the key question the u. S. Needs to term and is was this a decision made at the highest level in russia or was it the some local initiative and then the u. S. Response with very accordingly and you know President Trump has tried to reach out and engage with president putin but hes also his ministrations for the very tough policies in terms of sanctions and building up u. S. Forces we just had a visit by the president of poland and there were indications of some use for troops would additional u. S. Troops move into poland so its a mixed policy trying to work with russia where we can but standing up for russia where we cant because fuko we must go and see you shaking your head there of some of the comments of august in washington d. C. What do you think. Well i think that. Our my American Public is not seeing the whole picture yes russia is very much concerned with the situation in afghanistan and russia is clearly not satisfied with the performance of the u. S. Troops or with the performance of the current government in kabul because they know whats controlling the situation in the country and russia was concerned with the threat of resurgent isis in this area for at least several years i was there during the big maneuvers on the border of the just on and i saw how may pick caution being taken and something venti of measures to protect the border because central asia is very vulnerable and the Russian Southern borders are also very vulnerable so that is why russia is trying to at least work in the area. Along the border in order to prevent insults ration of militants to prevent Drug Trafficking which is huge which is really a serious man a menace and threat for us though but nearly all went to russia really want to try to achieve starting from the very beginning of the medical led operation in afghanistan was to have a stable country in its neighborhood but its not working so taliban was chosen and the most capable and credible force in afghanistan that can actually prevent the resurgence of isis or other radical group and death can control the situation and control contain the direct traffic in you as well because. These are the girls and this is. What i heard that some assistance was provided and some contacts were. Held but only in order to secure the areas which are near the border because the this is the problem the threat of the most serious threat and the most serious concern but russia is not trying to influence the situation in and. Again its done as a whole because what we now see is the collapse or for the government in kabul which is controlling only the capital and several big c. D. s and all the rest is now or suffering from an a cure all the rest of the country well thats because its put those points to the wall and kabul the russians are simply that to help stabilize they want to take a. Cap on the Drug Trafficking the taliban are a mighty force that may be able to do that thats what hes saying do you agree with that do you agree with any of that well. First of all. I. Do with the bleak picture. Called he played it. Straight out yet government. Didnt come to that or bits. In it and he just to correct im not. Going to police did not rule out rule it out. Im sure didnt there is some sort of support. Given to thought about whether it is for isis look there purple is. Not out there its contact but contact with ready the bunnet not really. Stopped. By actually. Just while he was out on to run it could you do. It in concrete probably with the exception of the media have established contact the meetings when they. Saw. We would not want to sort of rush it to be helpful no doubt to do. To the peace process. But we certainly will not a one on one to the ship or take sides that. This party does talk but you have to believe its not nonstate i. But. What is the government in their course putting their. Past that would be dangerous but i dont know. If i must have all the great game continues in afghanistan the world powers are still there and now were talking in contemporary times rather than the british were talking about the americans and the russians and the us is longest war that has been fighting do you have credible partners for peace then in the us in russia in the world think well what 1st of all the boss when he because i participated in to be the pressure almost it actually played very constructively the in trafton talks in fact. d stuck it in russia. Indeed actually did not interfere with us and it was from damned if it was in occurred in what europe to grow up it me how did their involvement talk to rick seaney have. Russia to fight over it if the will the us. If hes in the past when he didnt bother the stuff has new different. And i believe. Once. A week to meet addison china. Pakistan. And. Who. Might hope that that. Meeting sure enough they add to that regionally and internationally. It has not been helpful to the one. In that. Little green lets bring in richard what drives from washington d. C. I want to put some of mr hu of comments to you but before i do this is the u. S. His longest lost ing war President Donald Trump needs to get his troops out he said that he wants foreign involvement to come to an end this is an election promise or an Election Year you know what does he think about afghanistan wed is going to start right on his radio. Good question he does want to end the u. S. Military appointments and afghanistan like previous u. S. President s but like a previous u. S. President hes not willing to pull them out until the conditions are right so what weve seen is us trying to negotiate a Peace Agreement with the taleban that would also involve the Afghan Government that would create the conditions that allow the u. S. Leave that havent succeeded in that. And so this is going to leave this question probably to have or becomes you know president comes reelected or Vice President biden becomes president only to do a review of afghan policy to decide and so but also in terms of the relative importance of can a stand maybe not the highest you know hes been very concerned about really a economy immigration and so on so it is thats one reason going back to early question if this if there was some item to this about this issue in the intelligence brief may not of focus on it because it isnt his highest priority afghan policy. Its not the president s highest priority afghanistan is not the president s highest priorities as well as just indices saying does not disappoint you i have so far no i actually. Despite what did you was above freezing somebody to us. And you did general its i think it is is it moves with just the 2 piece an honest all i think you want me to look up to maybe after so many years. And i believe if you look down that. That piece in the hunt is on the spot so true trunks move and leave enough money. And the u. S. Army. Because the cove in russia do you have a trust and present Donald Trumps trust you enough got a son does russia what does russia make of the strategy. Well we do at the current moment we dont see any efficient strategy for afghanistan as far as we know and the u. S. Troops only capable of protecting their own basis and providing at least the security for their own personnel and that is all they can do actually what russia really wanted from them was to fight the Drug Trafficking and drug production rush expected that the u. S. Will deal beneficent administration in kabul nothing nothing of that none of that happened in this is the problem and steal some of the military i think that mess of u. S. Presence in afghanistan is dangerous for us so they will welcome the u. S. Withdrawal but still there is this problem of who will actually get into this to been a tale of afghanistan and that is why russia is actually working with contingency it promises and. Lots of effort is being paid now to prepare for some emergency situations when we have either resurgent isis or another crisis in afghanistan in order to protect the conies to borders all of our partners in central asia so they say this is the this is the story and i dont think that russia will be to try to push them medical you know. The sentiment and moscow was that their medical scheme there they broke they broke the contras so now its their job to fix it and there must be irresponsible withdrawal not just you know withdrawal without any is serious threat that you but that we dont see any until this is the problem there is no exit strategy for afghanistan that will leave a stable and. Sustainable state in this country this is this is that are dangerous for the whole region death will actually be a frappe for Central Asian death will be a problem for pakistan and for even for iran from some point. So. Russia is very much concerned with this situation because even the us failed to do something about of guinness and the strongest so world power action it sailed to stabilize this country so that it will be a major headache for the region from the russian border view thank you very much it was a fascinating discussion i want to thank all of our guests rich invites nicholas circle of laws and well d i knew as well and you can see the program again any time by visiting a web site aljazeera dot com of a further discussion go to office but facebook dot com forward slash a. J. Inside story and you can also join the conversation on twitter we are at a j inside story for me among colleagues and the whole team here in doha i follow. A Global Pandemic mass protests demanding change economic recession and geopolitical tensions not to mention the small matter of a looming election join me Steve Clemons in conversation with leading voices on the bottom line your weekly take on u. S. Politics and society on aljazeera. Im about to send in doha the top stories on aljazeera hong kong is marking the 23rd anniversary of hong kongs returned chinese rule it comes hours after beijing imposed a sweeping National Security law thats expected to reshape the citys future hong kongs chief executive carrier describe the process of the law as the most Important Development for the territory since the 100 over it turn brown has more from hong kong this is the English Version of the new legislation it runs to 39. 00 pages an awful lot to read but its quite clear that this law touches a whole range of things schools