Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Monday 21 august 2017
President Trump will address path forward on Afghanistan

By LOLITA C. BALDOR vising of the Afghan forces points to keeping the Af- yet sent significant addi- military’s duties.
ROBERT BURNS and bolster counterter- ghan government in place tional forces to the fight. He At Camp Morehead, lines
Associated Press rorism operations against and struggling to turn a dis- has said he would wait for of Afghan commandos
CAMP MOREHEAD, Afghan- the Taliban and an Islamic mal quagmire around. Trump to set the strategic stood at attention as Af-
istan (AP) — Signaling that State group affiliate trying U.S. Defense Secretary Jim direction first. ghanistan President Ashraf
the U.S. military expects its to gain a foothold in the Mattis said he is satisfied Trump wrote on Twitter Ghani and a host of proud
mission to continue, the country. with how the administra- on Saturday that he had dignitaries sat under flag-
top U.S. commander in The administration has tion formulated its new Af- made decisions at Camp draped canopies and wel-
Afghanistan on Sunday been at odds for months ghanistan war strategy. But David, “including on Af- comed the advancement
hailed the launch of the in their nation’s long-strug-
Afghan Army’s new special gling military.
operations corps, declar- In short remarks to the force,
ing that “we are with you Nicholson said a defeat in
and we will stay with you.” Afghanistan would erode
Gen. John Nicholson’s ex- safety in the U.S. and “em-
hortation of continued sup- bolden jihadists around the
port for the Afghans sug- world.”
gested the Pentagon may That’s why, he said, the U.S.
have won its argument that is helping to double the size
America’s military must stay of the Afghan commando
engaged in the conflict in force, adding that the cer-
order to insure terrorists emony “marks the begin-
don’t once again threaten ning of the end of the Tal-
the U.S. from safe havens in iban.”
Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. James Linder,
The White House an- the head of U.S. and NATO
nounced that President special operations forces in
Donald Trump would ad- Afghanistan, said the near-
dress the nation’s troops ly 4,000 troops requested
and the American people by the Pentagon for Af-
Monday night to update ghanistan includes about
the path forward in Af- 460 trainers for his staff to
ghanistan and South Asia. help increase the size of the
Nicholson, speaking prior Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, to the right of the podium, is joined by top U.S. and Afghan military special operations forces.
to the White House an- leaders for the launch of the Afghan Army’s new special operations corp on Sunday, Aug. 20, He said he’d be able ex-
nouncement, said the 2017, at Camp Morehead, a training base southeast of Kabul. pand training locations and
commandos and a plan to (AP Photo/Lolita Baldor) insure they have advisers at
double the size of the Af- over how to craft a new he refused to talk about ghanistan,” but he did not all the right levels, including
ghan’s special operations strategy for the war in Af- the new policy until it was say more about it. The ex- on the new Afghan special
forces are critical to win- ghanistan amid frustrations disclosed by Trump. pectation had been that operations corps staff.
ning the war. that 16 years after 9/11 the He said the deliberations, he would agree to a mod- According to a senior U.S.
“I assure you we are with conflict is stalemated. including talks at the Camp est boost in the U.S. war ef- military officer in Kabul, in-
you in this fight. We are with The Afghan government David presidential retreat fort, while also addressing creasing the number of
you and we will stay with only controls half of the on Friday, were done prop- broader political, econom- American troops would al-
you,” he said during a cere- country and is beset by erly. ic and regional issues. low the military to quickly
mony at Camp Morehead, endemic corruption and “I am very comfortable that Mattis said Trump had send additional advisers
a training base for Afghan infighting. The Islamic State the strategic process was been presented with mul- or airstrike support to two
commandos southeast of group has been hit hard sufficiently rigorous,” Mat- tiple options. He did not simultaneous operations.
Kabul. but continues to attempt tis said, speaking aboard a name them, but others Right now, the official said,
The Pentagon was await- major attacks, insurgents military aircraft on an over- have said one option was they can only do so for one.
ing a final announcement still find safe harbor in Paki- night flight from Washing- to pull out of Afghanistan The officer said it would al-
by Trump on a proposal stan, and Russia, Iran and ton to Amman, Jordan. entirely. Another, which low the U.S. to send fighter
to send nearly 4,000 more others are increasingly try- Months ago, Trump gave Mattis had mentioned re- aircraft, refueling aircraft
U.S. troops to Afghanistan. ing to shape the outcome. Mattis authority to set U.S. cently in Washington, was and surveillance aircraft
The added forces would At this point, everything the troop levels in Afghanistan, to hire private contractors to multiple locations for
increase training and ad- U.S. military has proposed but Mattis said he has not to perform some of the U.S. missions.q
US, Canada, Mexico pledge quick work to update NAFTA

By PAUL WISEMAN wrapped up Sunday. The day that the United States critics say the agreement NAFTA needs to be up-
AP Economics Writer three countries said they “is not interested in a mere encouraged manufactur- dated, but they have de-
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S., planned to meet again in tweaking” of NAFTA and ers to move south of the fended it as an economic
Canadian and Mexican Mexico Sept. 1-5, in Can- will seek an ambitious re- border to take advantage success story for expanding
negotiators are pledging to ada late next month and write of a deal the Trump of lower-wage Mexican la- trade between the three
work quickly to update the back in the United States in administration blames for bor. Lighthizer said the U.S. countries.
North American Free Trade October. hundreds of thousands of wants a revamped agree- Mexican Economy Minister
Agreement, a 23-year-old They did not offer details on lost U.S. factory jobs. ment to do more to ensure Ildefonso Guajardo said
pact that President Donald the five-day talks. NAFTA did away with most that products are made in at the start of the Wash-
Trump has called the worst The negotiations are likely barriers, including tariffs, NAFTA trade bloc and spe- ington talks that he hoped
trade deal in history. to prove contentious. U.S. on trade between the U.S., cifically in the United States. differences could be nar-
The first round of NAFTA Trade Rep. Robert Light- Canada and Mexico. The Canadian and Mexi- rowed in the next round of
renegotiations talks were hizer declared Wednes- Trump and other NAFTA can negotiators agree that negotiations.q