United States President Donald Trump has laid out his plans for America’s continued involvement in Afghanistan, promising to increase troop levels, offering more support and train the Afghan military and security forces, and bringing stability in the region by pressuring the government in Islamabad to act against militant groups in the restive frontier tribal territories. Trump’s plan now offers a clear indication that the US will continue to assist in Afghanistan and he said that he was previously inclined to draw down troop levels there, but changed his mind after listening to the advice of senior Pentagon personnel.
Right now, despite the best efforts of the National Unity Government in Kabul and President Ashraf Gani, the Taliban is gaining ground, retaking villages, cities and provinces that had been hard won by troops working with Nato members. Slowly but inevitably, the gains made against the Taliban and its medieval beliefs that impose harsh punishments for transgressions and demean and devalue women’s role in Afghan society, have been lost in recent months. The security threat in Kabul has increased significantly too, with the capital rocked by a series of Taliban-initiated bombings.
While Trump did go to great pains in his speech to say his policy was more robust than that offered by the previous White House administration, the training of Afghanistan’s military and security services has been a key element since Nato’s intervention there 15 years ago. Afghanistan’s security services must be given every opportunity to become proficient, efficient and sufficient to meet the terrorist threat.
What Trump has done is clearly set out a path for moving forward. An estimated 4,000 more US troops will be deployed to Afghanistan, and Nato nations are to be asked to top up those numbers. For 15 years, Nato and the US have worked together — and the worst possible scenario would be for the US to withdraw now, as it has done in Iraq, setting the stage for further violence and chaos.
Together, and working alongside the Afghan forces, the US and Nato can shift the balance on the ground, providing the conditions where peace can take hold once more.
Trump too opened the door for talks with the Taliban should its leadership be prepared to commit to a path of peace. For too long and for too many reasons, the South Asian region has grown unstable and insecure. This US road map should now revive hopes for a practical resolution there.
