Wary of international involvements but eager for progress in the drawn-out Afghan war, the Trump administration had originally promised a new plan by mid-July. Trump was said to be dissatisfied by initial proposals to add a few thousand more troops in the country, and advisers were studying an expanded strategy for the broader South Asian region, including Pakistan. Trump’s defense secretary, Jim Mattis, confirmed in Amman, Jordan on Sunday that the administration had agreed on a new strategy for Afghanistan after “rigorous” debate, but refused to provide any details about the decision. Trump had several options on the table that ranged from backing away from the country to stepping up US efforts to defeat the Taliban. There are now about 8,400 US and 5,000 NATO troops supporting Afghanistan’s security forces in the fight against Taliban and other militants.

Source: The Guardian August 20, 2017 21:22 UTC