FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis gestures during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, U.S., May 19, 2017. The 17-year-old war is America's longest conflict.Mattis is accompanied by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Joseph Dunford. The surprise visit is Mattis' fourth time in the country since becoming defense secretary, and it's part of a larger trip including stops in San Diego and India, added the channel.US Army General Scott Miller assumed command of NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday, arriving as Washington faces growing questions over its strategy to force the Taliban into talks to end the grinding conflict.Speaking with reporters this week, Mattis said he was hopeful about peace talks with the Taliban. "Right now, we have more indications that reconciliation is no longer just a shimmer out there, no longer just a mirage," Mattis said. "It now has some framework, there's some open lines of communication," Mattis added.

Source: Egypt Today September 07, 2018 09:22 UTC