Trump Visits Afghanistan and Says He Reopened Talks With Taliban
Source: New York Times
Trump Visits Afghanistan and Says He Reopened Talks With Taliban
Details were unclear. The declaration came on an unannounced trip as the president seeks to highlight a record of achievement while he campaigns for re-election.
By Michael Crowley
Nov. 28, 2019
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan President Trump paid an unannounced Thanksgiving visit to American troops in Afghanistan on Thursday and declared that he had reopened peace negotiations with the Taliban less than three months after scuttling talks in hopes of ending 18 years of war.
The Taliban wants to make a deal, and were meeting with them, Mr. Trump said during a meeting with Afghanistans president, Ashraf Ghani, at the main base for American forces north of Kabul.
Were going to stay until such time as we have a deal, or we have total victory, and they want to make a deal very badly, Mr. Trump added even as he reaffirmed his desire to reduce the American military presence to 8,600 troops, down from about 12,000 to 13,000.
Mr. Trumps sudden announcement on peace talks came at a critical moment in the United States long, drawn-out military venture in Afghanistan, a time when the country is mired in turmoil over disputed election results and Americans at home are increasingly tired of an operation that began shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/28/us/politics/trump-afghanistan.html