Trump to Address Troops, Announce Administration’s Plan for Afghanistan

President Donald Trump’s administration has completed plans on the nation’s plan for the ongoing war in Afghanistan and will announce his strategy on national television tonight at 9 p.m. His idea is to address the troops live at Ft. Myer, VA in Arlington just across the river from Washington, DC.

Trump held a conference on the subject of Afghanistan and South Asia with his national security team on Friday at Camp David. Their plan for the region is expected to increase the troop levels in the country by 3000-5000.

The Camp David meeting included Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has said the Trump administration is close to finalizing a strategy for Afghanistan.

Options on the table include proposals to send roughly 3,000 to 5,000 more U.S. troops to a conflict that stretches back to the 9/11 attacks in 2001. More than 2,400 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan.

The top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, has said several thousand additional troops are needed to help break the stalemate in the war against the Taliban, the Islamic State and other insurgent groups there.

Any additional U.S. and coalition troops would remain in a support role in Afghanistan, helping to advise Afghan forces, which have suffered high numbers of casualties in the fight against insurgents. The coalition is also providing limited air support for Afghan government forces.

Mattis and the President have differed on a proposal to turn the war over to US government contractors, but that isn’t expected to be in play at this point.

To read the entire article from The USA Today click here:

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