U.S. REVERSES AFGHAN COURSE
Taleban threaten to turn country into a graveyard for the American empire
washington — President Donald Trump committed US troops to an open-ended war in Afghanistan, a decision the Afghan government welcomed on Tuesday but which Taleban insurgents warned would make the country a “graveyard for the American empire”.
Trump offered few specifics in a speech on Monday but promised a stepped-up military campaign against the Taleban who have gained ground against US-backed Afghan government forces. He also singled out Pakistan for harbouring militants in safe havens on its soil, an accusation it denies.
While Trump said he would not discuss troop levels or details of the new strategy, US officials said on Monday he had signed off on Defence Secretary James Mattis’ plans to send about 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan.
Trump said “my original instinct was to pull out” all American troops but he was convinced by his military advisers after a lengthy review of the United States’ longest war.
“The consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable,” he said. “A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including Daesh and Al Qaeda, would instantly fill.”
While Trump said “our troops will fight to win”, he also stressed that ultimately Afghanistan’s police and army must do most of the fighting to defeat the Taleban and allied militants. —
I am grateful to President Trump and the American people for this affirmation of support ... for our joint struggle to rid the region from the threat of terrorism. Ashraf Ghani, Afghan President
We are committed to supporting the government and the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity in their country. India’s External Affairs ministry
Our aim remains to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who would attack our own countries. Jens Stoltenberg, Nato Secretary-General
We believe that the international community should fully recognise Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts. Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
Washington — President Donald Trump cleared the way for the deployment of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan on Monday, backtracking from his promise to rapidly end America’s longest war, while pillorying ally Pakistan for offering safe haven to “agents of chaos.”
In his first formal address to the nation as commander-in-chief, Trump discarded his previous criticism of the 16-year-old war as a waste of time and money, admitting things looked different from “behind the desk in the Oval Office.”
“My instinct was to pull out,” Trump said as he spoke of his frustration with a war that has killed thousands of US troops and cost US taxpayers trillions of dollars.
But following months of deliberation, Trump said he had concluded “the consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable” leaving a “vacuum” that terrorists “would instantly fill.”
While Trump refused to offer detailed troop numbers, senior White House officials said he had already authorised his defense secretary to deploy up to 3,900 more troops to Afghanistan.
He warned that the approach would now be more pragmatic than idealistic. Security assistance to Afghanistan was “not a blank cheque” he said, warning he would not send the military to “construct democracies in faraway lands or create democracies in our own image.”
“We are not nation building again. We are killing terrorists.”
The US has grown increasingly weary of the conflict that began in October 2001 as a hunt for the 9/11 attackers has turned into a vexed effort to keep Afghanistan’s divided and corruption-hindered democracy alive amid a brutal Taleban insurgency.
The militant group later vowed it would make the country “a graveyard” for the United States and would continue its fight as long as American troops remained in the country.
“If America doesn’t withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, soon Afghanistan will become another graveyard for this superpower in the 21st century,” Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taleban in Afghanistan, said in a statement.
Trump also indicated that singleminded approach would extend to US relations with troubled ally Pakistan, which consecutive US administrations have criticised for links with the Taleban and for harboring leading militants — like Osama bin Laden.
“We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,” he said, warning that vital aid could be cut. That will have to change and that will change immediately.” Ahead of the speech Pakistan’s military brushed off speculation that Trump could signal a stronger line against Islamabad, insisting the country has done all it can to tackle militancy.
“Let it come,” army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters, referring to Trump’s decision. “Even if it comes... Pakistan shall do whatever is best in the national interest.” Trump for the first time also left the door open to an eventual political deal with the Taleban.
“Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taleban in Afghanistan,” he said.
“But nobody knows if or when that will ever happen,” he added, before vowing that “America will continue its support for the Afghan government and military as they confront the Taleban in the field.”
His Secretary of State Rex Tillerson went further, saying the United States would “stand ready to support peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taleban without preconditions.”
The Trump administration had originally promised a new Afghan plan by mid-July, but Trump was said to be dissatisfied by initial proposals to deploy a few thousand more troops. —
we have been paying pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting we appreciate india’s role ... but india makes billions of dollars in trade with the united states, and we want them to help us more with afghanistan our commitment is not unlimited, and our support is not a blank cheque. afghanistan govt must carry its share of the military political and economic burden Donald Trump US President