Donald Trump Just Made a Big Decision Regarding U.S. Policy Towards Afghanistan - Dave Majumdar

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is promising that the United States will defeat the Taliban and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan.

The move comes a day after President Donald Trump delegated authority to the Pentagon to set troop levels in that war-torn nation as it sees fit to achieve America’s military objectives.

“Yesterday afternoon, the President directed the Department of Defense to set troop levels in Afghanistan,” Mattis said in a statement issued June 14.

“This will enable our military to have greater agility to conduct operations, recognizing our military posture there is part of a broader regional context.”

In his statement, Mattis said that the United States cannot repeat the mistakes of the past and allow Afghanistan to slip into chaos—thereby becoming a haven for terrorists to launch attacks on the American homeland or those of allied nations.

“This administration will not repeat the mistakes of the past,” Mattis said.  “We cannot allow Afghanistan to once again become a launching point for attacks on our homeland or on our allies.”

As the defense secretary noted, the United States has not faced a terrorist attack of the scale of September 11, 2001, since that day. But that does not mean that Washington can let its guard down.

“The danger continues to evolve and that danger requires a commitment to defeat terrorist organizations that threaten the United States, other nations and the people of Afghanistan,” Mattis said.

“For example, ISIS has established a branch in Khorasan Province, al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups remain active inside Afghanistan, and the Taliban continue to pose a challenge to the democratically elected government.”

“We are making progress in degrading these groups, but their defeat will come about only by giving our men and women on the ground the support and the authorities they need to win,” Mattis said.

“The delegation of this authority does not in itself change the force levels for Afghanistan.  Rather, it ensures the Department of Defense can facilitate our missions and align our commitment to the rapidly evolving security situation, giving our troops greater latitude to provide air power and other vital support,” Mattis said.

“Our core mission will remain the same: to train, advise and assist Afghan forces. We are there to help defeat a common enemy and ensure Afghan forces can safeguard the future of their country.” - Read More, National Interest

Donald Trump Just Made a Big Decision Regarding U.S. Policy ...