WASHINGTON - The US President Donald Trump is optimistic regarding the US-led campaign against the terror groups in Afghanistan as he admits that Afghanistan is a tough place to win.
In his speech to Marine Helicopter squadron One, President Trump said “You know, we’ve made tremendous success and had tremendous success now with getting rid of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.  I let them do their job.  You don’t have to call the White House when you’re getting ready to fight.  You know, in the old times — the last administration — you called the White House and you get approval.  Not anymore.  Not anymore.”
“So they went out; they’ve done their job.  I hear we’re doing really good in Afghanistan.  You saw that.  I let them do their job.  And I let the colonels and the majors and the all of them — the captains — that’s what they do.  They graduate, they’re smart, they’re tough, and they do their job.  They don’t have to call me to get approval to go into battle with people in places that most people never heard of, but they’re very important,” he added.
This comes as President Trump announced his administration’s policy for South Asia late in August this year as he emphasized on continued US mission in Afghanistan.
President Trump warned that the consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and unacceptable.  “9/11, the worst terrorist attack in our history, was planned and directed from Afghanistan because that country was ruled by a government that gave comfort and shelter to terrorists.  A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including ISIS and al Qaeda, would instantly fill, just as happened before September 11th,” he added.
President Trump also added “I concluded that the security threats we face in Afghanistan and the broader region are immense.  Today, 20 U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations are active in Afghanistan and Pakistan — the highest concentration in any region anywhere in the world.” (KP)