Donald Trump is the third US president struggling to stabilize Afghanistan since George W. Bush sent special forces in the wake of 11 September 2001 terror attacks. “This afternoon the president was briefed extensively by his national security team on a new strategy to protect America’s interests in South Asia,” according to a White House statement on Friday. Trump’s unhappiness over his options for Afghanistan helped fuel interest by some at the White House in a plan floated by Erik Prince, the founder and former chief of the Blackwater security firm, who’s proposed contracting out much of the effort. Hunkered downUS engagement in Afghanistan has deteriorated, with personnel hunkered down behind blast walls, the US inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction said in a report this month. That reflects the view of Mattis and Tillerson that any solution for Afghanistan requires getting tough on neighbouring Pakistan for sheltering the Taliban and other groups.

Source: Mint August 19, 2017 09:45 UTC