Trump Tries Cooling Tensions With Pakistan to Speed Afghan Peace Talks - NTtimes

WASHINGTON — President Trump, who on Twitter last year accused Pakistan’s leaders of “nothing but lies & deceit,” welcomed the country’s prime minister to the White House on Monday in an effort to mend relations and seek help in ending the war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Seated next to Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump gushed about the prospect of improved relations and trade with Pakistan and said he expected that Mr. Khan would help negotiate peace in Afghanistan so United States troops can come home.

“There is tremendous potential between our country and Pakistan,” Mr. Trump said during a 40-minute question-and-answer session with reporters from both countries. “I think Pakistan is going to help us out to extricate ourselves.”

Administration officials believe pressure from Pakistan could push the Taliban into a permanent cease-fire in Afghanistan. Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he wants to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan and end the 18-year war.

“I could win that war in a week. I just don’t want to kill 10 million people,” Mr. Trump said, describing what he said were prepared military plans in Afghanistan. “If I wanted to win that war, Afghanistan would be wiped off the face of the earth. It would be gone in 10 days.”

Mr. Khan — like Mr. Trump a celebrity-turned-leader who once was Pakistan’s star cricket player — agreed quickly that seeking peace in Afghanistan is the better option.

“There is no military solution in Afghanistan,” Mr. Khan said. “If you go all out military, there would be millions and millions of people who would die.”

Mr. Khan arrived in the United States on Sunday, landing at Dulles International Airport in Virginia where a picture of him riding the airport’s people mover with other travelers sparked a minor social media uproar about the lack of pomp and circumstance.

The prime minister received more of an official welcome on Monday at the White House, where Mr. Trump greeted him in front of the West Wing before a bilateral meeting and a working lunch. - Read More

Trump Tries Cooling Tensions With Pakistan to Speed Afghan Peace ...