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Groton Daily Independent
Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 ~ Vol. 25 - No. 053 ~ 23 of 45
late on what the U.S. president might say, but said it was clear he anticipated criticism, saying: “There is no organized network of terrorists in Pakistan and actions have been taken without any discrimination against all terrorist organizations.”
A Kabul university professor and analyst Ahmad Zia Rafhat praised Trump’s harsh words directed at neighbor Pakistan.
“For the rst time the Afghan people hear a clear comment from the U.S. president about Pakistan, especially that Trump mentioned very clearly that Pakistan is supporting and providing safe havens for terrorists,” he said.
Other Afghans interviewed by The AP in the capital Kabul expressed fears of a worsening situation in the country, bemoaning runaway corruption, high unemployment and increasingly deadly attacks. Several said Trump made it clear that he wasn’t about solving those problems.
Aziz Rahman, who works at a bank in Kabul, said Trump’s speech will make little difference to Afghans. After 16 years and tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO troops in his homeland, Rahman said the situation has only deteriorated with thousands of people eeing.
“Trump’s speech is good for Americans, not for the poor people of Afghanistan,” Rahman said.
Waheed Muzhda, a political analyst in Kabul, expressed fear that Trump’s emphasis on a military victory seemed guaranteed to prolong the war and increase casualties.
“In the future we will witness a worsening of the war, more killing and more problems for the Afghan nation,” said Muzhda. “Mr. Trump only emphasized winning the war militarily, but if a military solution to the war could have been possible, this should have been achieved with presence of 150,000 troops.”
Meanwhile, the top U.S. diplomat in Kabul said President Trump made it clear that the U.S. “is not going anywhere,” but at the same time warning the Afghan government that it, too, has much to do if stability is to come to the country.
Special Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy Ambassador Hugo Llorens in a statement Tuesday urged the Afghan government to deal with widespread corruption, make good on a promise to hold parliamentary polls next year and enact tough economic reforms.
He also called on Afghanistan’s leadership to shed their ethnic differences and embrace each other. Trump has not yet appointed a new ambassador to Kabul.
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Gannon reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Amir Shah in Kabul and Munir Ahmed in
Islamabad contributed to this report
10 Things to Know for Today By The Associated Press
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. ‘FIGHT TO WIN’
Reversing his past calls for a speedy exit, Trump recommits the U.S. to the 16-year-old war in Afghani-
stan, but declined to disclose how many more troops will be dispatched to wage America’s longest war. 2. TRUMP HEADS TO ARIZONA FOR ANOTHER CAMPAIGN-STYLE RALLY
But the president is likely to hear some protests over his immigration policies and his comments about
a white supremacist rally.
3. WHERE DIVERS ARE NOW SEARCHING FOR 10 MISSING SAILORS
They are being deployed to the damaged USS John S. McCain’s ooded compartments, a blow to fami-
lies still hoping for a miracle.
4. WHAT MATTIS IS SAYING ABOUT ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS
The U.S. defense secretary says the extremists are now trapped in a military vise that will squeeze them
on both sides of the Syria-Iraq border.
5. NORTH KOREA VOWS RESPONSE TO MILITARY DRILLS
Senior U.S. military commanders dismiss calls to pause or downsize exercises with South Korea they call