TRUMP: My instinct was to pull out of Afghanistan - here's why I changed my mind
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
In an address in Virginia, Trump said he sympathized with Americans who were "weary of war without victory" and said that he shares "the American people's frustration" with a "foreign policy that has spent too much time, energy, money, and most importantly lives trying to rebuild countries in our own image."
"My original instinct was to pull out, and historically I like following my instincts, but all of my life I heard that decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office," Trump said.
"So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every conceivable angle. After many meetings, over many months, we held our final meeting last Friday at Camp David, with my cabinet and generals, to complete our strategy," he said.
Lamenting that he was dealt a "bad and very complex hand," the president said several factors led him to implement "a shift from a time-based approach to one based on conditions."
Trump cited the troop drawdown in Iraq, which he argued allowed ISIS to gain ground in the country, as well as a perceived threat from terrorists in Pakistan. He also called on other US allies to pitch in, singling out India as a trade partner.
Trump also insisted that Afghanistan strategy would be conducted in a manner that was coherent with his campaign vision, saying he would not give timetables for withdraw or troop levels.
"We are not nation building again," Trump said. "We are killing terrorists."
- Global stocks rally even as Sensex, Nifty fall sharply on Friday
- In second consecutive week of decline, forex kitty drops $2.28 bn to $640.33 bn
- SBI Life Q4 profit rises 4% to ₹811 crore
- IMD predicts severe heatwave conditions over East, South Peninsular India for next five days
- COVID lockdown-related school disruptions will continue to worsen students’ exam results into the 2030s: study
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market