U.S. soldiers as two Chinook helicopters fly in to take them back to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan Nov. 4, 2008. Photo Credit: Photo by Spc. Mary L. Gonzalez, CJTF-101 Public Affairs via Wikimedia
Concluding a months-long policy review of the United States’ policy for Afghanistan, President Donald Trump’s advisers have proposed between 3000 to 5000 additional troops for the country with a mission to stem the country’s descent into chaos in the face of a fierce Taliban insurgency.
The new plan, subject to White House approval, will also seek to force the Taliban to negotiating table, and authorize the military commanders to expand U.S. military role with powers to use more airstrikes against militant targets.
According to The Washington Post, which broke the news, President Trump will decide on the proposed plan before a May 25 NATO summit in Brussels.
The new plan is based on risks facing Afghanistan’s faltering government in Kabul, nearly 16 years after the U.S. went into Afghanistan after 9/11 terrorist attacks. It comes amid worries that the situation in the landlocked country may worsen “endangering a key U.S. base for combating militant groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State throughout South Asia,” according to the Post.
The U.S. currently has around 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. The new plan, according to the U.S. media has the backing of National Security Adviser H R McMaster but some close aides of President Trump are skeptical of another troops surge.
