International Business Times: Trump Reveals Afghanistan Plan

The United States has been at war with extremists in Afghanistan since 2001, and President Donald Trump will send more troops to the country. In a speech, he expressed recognition that the long-running war is a divisive issue for Americans, many impatient with costs and progress, that rapid exit would leave a power vacuum. He declined to offer specifics, but said goals include “winning,” putting US “security interests above all other considerations” and “killing terrorists.” Trump dismissed “nation-building,” military encouragement of democracy and presumably soft power despite many complexities of Afghan politics, a median age that is less than 19, and a history of war fueling resentment and extremist recruitment. Reports suggest that 8,500 US troops now in Afghanistan may be joined by 4000 more to “perform the dual roles of helping in counterterrorism missions and training the Afghan forces,” reports Ishani Roy for International Business Times. Trump suggests the strategy depends on conditions on the ground rather than timetables. He expects help from Pakistan and India, calling out the former for providing a safe haven for the Haqqani network and other extremists, but did not mention Russia, China or Iran. He acknowledged that “the heaviest burden will continue to be borne by the good people of Afghanistan and their courageous armed forces.” – YaleGlobal