VOA: Trump, Security Team Mulling Strategic Options on Afghanistan
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is nearing a decision on a new strategy to deal with the 16-year war in Afghanistan, according to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
Several options will be considered Friday when Trump meets with Vice President Mike Pence and his national security team at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
Speaking to reporters Thursday in Washington, Mattis said “We are coming very close to a decision and I anticipate it in the very near future.”
Mattis did not provide hints about a new strategy to fight the war in Afghanistan, the longest conflict in U.S. history, but several options will be considered Friday.
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Update #1: Trump, top aides seek to overcome divisions delaying Afghan strategy (Reuters)
Update #2: Trump studying options for new approach to Afghan war (AP)
WNU Editor: There are no good options. My prediction .... a significant increase in soldiers. Increase air support. Changing the rules of engagement for US forces. Maybe use more contractors (a big maybe). Train more Afghan soldiers. Create an even larger Afghan Special Forces unit modelled in the same manner as Iraq to take on Taliban strongholds directly. And .... the most important point of them all .... pray that it works. And while no one will say it publicly .... give a timetable of two years for this strategy to work. As to the big question .... will it work? If history is any indication, the answer will be no.
3 comments:
WNU,
"As to the big question .... will it work? If history is any indication, the answer will be no."
If they don't do something about the border situation with Pakistan and also Iran, then your answer will undoubtedly be correct.
Editor,
I hope your prediction is wrong on more troops. With a worn down force, the inability to retain comat trained personnel, no assurance that more troops can really make a difference, no real benefit even if we somehow "win," much to lose if we fail, a decaying infrastructure that needs to be adressed, massive national debt, and this barely scratches the surface the only prudent course seems to be cut our losses and exit Afghanistan.
As I've said numerous times on this site and elseehere, when one is in a hole, the best choice is to STOP DIGGING!! We are in a very deep hole in Afghanistan. STOP DIGGING!! Get out now!!
As you point out, it will take at least two years before we "know" if we "win" and even if we "win" as part of the price of "victory" we are going to have more dead Americans, a further depleted force, and nothing tangible to show for our "victory."
POTUS was elected to end these non sensical foreign interventions. If he does so, he will be appreciated by the American people as the POTUS who ended our involvement there.
Furthermore in two years the actions of the special counsel and other investigations will be coming to fruition. While I do NOT believe he is guilty of what he stands accused of nor do I believe he is the monster his critics make him out to be, failure in Afghanistan coupled with the relentless messaging against him will all but ensure his impeachment as the American people will be looking for ANY reason to support impeachment no matter what. "Success" in Afghanistan, given what it's going to cost, gains POTUS nothing, it gains the American people nothing, and the American people will hold the costs against him. Essentially the end result is the same for him.
Now, if he is the POTUS who gets us out of Afghanistan, this will provide a buffer agsinst his critics and might even save his presidency and help him accomplish the rest of his agenda. In summary, getting out of Afghanistan makes sense for America's strategic interests and it makes sense politically for POTUS. This is a rare instance ehere strategic and political intersts converge. Getting out has huge upside potential with little to no downside risks assuming we actually secure our borders which is a longer range issue.
Einstein said : " Insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result"
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