A top US commander has revealed that Washington is planning to attack the Iraqi city of Mosul in April or May to drive the ISIL out of its stronghold. According to the official, Iraqi troops and Kurdish Peshmerga forces will take part in the offensive. The Pentagon has also announced that it could recommend the dispatch of US teams on the ground. The timing and nature of these revelations have sparked much controversy in Iraq's political corridors.

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter says Washington is seriously considering slowing the pace of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Carter made the comments at a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. This is Carter's first visit to Afghanistan as the new Pentagon chief. There were some 130,000 U-S-led foreign troops in the country until last year when NATO withdrew most of its soldiers. A contingent of 12,500 foreign troops has remained in Afghanistan most of them American. The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan back in 2001, with the stated aim of toppling the Taliban regime and establishing security in the country. Over 13 years into the war, security is still elusive in the country and attacks by Taliban militants are commonplace.

This edition of The Debate focuses on the United States' disposition to keep its forces in Afghanistan after 13 years of fruitless war on terror.

Iran says it accepts either a complete nuclear agreement or no agreement at all.

Technical nuclear talks between Iran and the US end in the Swiss city of Geneva.

Iran and the US are pursuing nuclear talks closely and intensively, a senior Iranian negotiator says.

A political commentator says the United Nations is acting irresponsibly towards the current crisis in Syria.

A political analyst says the Western media are trying to portray Russia as the “aggressor” in Ukraine’s crisis.

Alan Hart says Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to wreck any prospect of a deal on Iran’s nuclear energy program.

Mike Billington says Ukraine’s army has become totally demoralized.