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Friday 4 august 2017
Trump hedges as military presents new Afghanistan strategy

By VIVIAN SALAMA The military has frowned
LOLITA BALDOR on such proposals. It be-
Associated Press lieves boosting troop levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — Frus- will accelerate progress
trated by his options, Presi- in training Afghan troops
dent Donald Trump is with- and its air force, and help
holding approval of a long- counterterrorism teams
delayed Afghanistan war pursue targets even more
strategy and even mulling aggressively. They point
a radical shakeup in his to improvements among
national security team as Afghan forces and in anti-
he searches for a “game corruption efforts. Military
changer” after 16 years of leaders — including Mc-
indecisive conflict. Master, Defense Secretary
In a recent Situation Room Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph
meeting that turned explo- Dunford, the Joint Chiefs of
sive, Trump raised the idea Staff chairman, are all said
of firing Army Gen. John to be on the same page, as
Nicholson, the top U.S. is Secretary of State Rex Til-
commander in Afghani- lerson.
stan, according to two offi- Military officials also have
cials with knowledge of the defended Nicholson, say-
discussion. And he suggest- ing any punishment of him
ed installing his national Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. would be unfair because
security adviser, Gen. H.R. Frustrated by his options, President Donald Trump is withholding approval of a long-delayed he hasn’t been given the
McMaster, to oversee the Afghanistan war strategy and even mulling a radical shakeup in his national security team as he forces he says he needs. His
mission, said the officials, searches for a “game changer” after 16 years of indecisive conflict. possible firing was first re-
who weren’t authorized to (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) ported by NBC News.
talk publicly and requested counterterrorism opera- with rightly asking tough cerned about dealing a The White House, which de-
anonymity. tions against al-Qaida, a questions, such as how swift and definitive blow to clined multiple requests to
The drastic suggestions growing Islamic State af- the prescribed approach militant groups in the coun- comment, may shift itself
point to the desperation filiate and other extrem- might lead to success. try. The White House has on Afghanistan now that
shared by many in Wash- ist groups. But the troop Trump hasn’t welcomed even offered its own, out- retired Marine Gen. John
ington as military and other deployment, which would the military’s recommen- side-the-box thinking. Kelly is Trump’s new chief
leaders look for a blueprint augment an already ex- dations with “high-five en- Officials said Trump’s chief of staff. Kelly hasn’t spoken
for “winning” the Afghan isting U.S. force of at least thusiasm,” a senior White strategist, Steve Bannon, about Afghanistan, how-
conflict. Trump has been 8,400 troops, has been held House official said. Several and his son-in-law and ad- ever, since his appointment
frustrated by what he views up amid broader strategy meetings involving Trump’s viser, Jared Kushner, have this week.
as a stalemate. He wants a questions, including how National Security Coun- been pushing a plan to Lawmakers are grow-
plan that will allow Ameri- to engage regional powers cil have been tense as have contractors fight the ing weary. In June, Mat-
can forces to pull out once in an effort to stabilize the the president demanded war in Afghanistan instead tis faced tough questions
and for all. At a White House fractured nation. answers from top advis- of U.S. troops. Blackwa- from Senate Armed Ser-
lunch with military brass last These powers include U.S. ers about why American ter Worldwide founder Erik vices Committee Chair-
week, Trump publicly aired friends and foes, from Paki- forces needed to be in Af- Prince, the brother of Edu- man John McCain, who
his misgivings, saying, “I stan and India to China, ghanistan. cation Secretary Betsy De- told him, “It makes it hard
want to find out why we’ve Russia and Iran. Pentagon Another U.S. official with Vos, was approached by for us to support you when
been there for 17 years.” plans aren’t calling for a knowledge of the conver- Trump’s top advisers to de- we don’t have a strategy.”
The Pentagon wants to radical departure from the sation reported Trump be- velop proposals to gradual- Mattis conceded, “We are
send almost 4,000 more limited approach endorsed ing less interested in hear- ly swap out U.S. troops and not winning in Afghanistan
American forces to expand by former President Barack ing about how to restore put military contractors in right now” and vowed to
training of Afghan military Obama, and several offi- Afghanistan to long-term their place, a military offi- “correct this as soon as
forces and beef up U.S. cials have credited Trump stability, and more con- cial said. possible.”q

China welcomes US assurances to North Korea; calls for talks

BEIJING (AP) — China’s for- collapse of the North Ko- the intention of maintaining Chinese companies also tweeted recently, “yet ...
eign minister on Thursday rean regime or an accel- its nuclear weapons. have a virtual monopoly they do NOTHING for us
welcomed comments by erated reunification of the Tillerson also continued to on investment in North Ko- with North Korea, just talk.”
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Korean Peninsula. push for Chinese help in rea’s economy, particularly “We will no longer allow this
Tillerson offering reassur- Wang said China hopes keeping pressure on North natural resources. to continue,” he added.
ance to North Korea that all sides could “meet each Korea because of their U.S. President Donald Trump “China could easily solve
Washington isn’t seeking other half way to find a fun- special economic relation- has grown increasingly frus- this problem!”
regime change there. damental plan to resolve ship. He said the North Ko- trated by what he says is China says it shouldn’t be
Foreign Minister Wang Yi the security concerns of rean problem is not China’s China’s reluctance to rein held responsible for resolv-
said at a briefing that Bei- the parties through equal fault, but China must help in North Korea. “I am very ing the North Korean nu-
jing “attaches great impor- dialogue.” create conditions for pro- disappointed in China. Our clear standoff alone and
tance” to Tillerson’s remarks But Tillerson also said the ductive talks. foolish past leaders have has said other countries are
on North Korea. Tillerson U.S. does not think pro- China is the North’s big- allowed them to make shirking their responsibili-
said Tuesday that the Unit- ductive talks would result gest trading partner and hundreds of billions of dol- ties in the effort to reduce
ed States does not seek a if North Korea comes with food and fuel aid source. lars a year in trade,” Trump tensions.q