Is Donald Trump pushing us closer to victory in Afghanistan or permanent military occupation?

As Donald Trump prepares for a major escalation of the war - will we ever leave Afghanistan?

In a big nationally televised speech this week, Donald Trump called for an escalation of the War in Afghanistan - already America's longest war by far.

The new strategy - Trump said - won't be nation-building, but "fighting to win" and "killing terrorists".

"Our troops will fright to win. We will fright to win. From now on, victory will have a clear definition: attacking our enemies, obliterating ISIS, crushing Al-Qaeda, preventing the Taliban from taking over Afghanistan and stopping mass terror attacks against America before they emerge."

To me, that sounds less like a strategy for victory than a justification for a permanent occupation. Occupations of Afghanistan never work.

How could we possibly succeed where the Soviets and the British failed?

Was Trump playing us when he slammed the "stupid wars" during the campaign?

Or have the generals just hijacked him?

-Thom


(What do you think? Tell us here.)

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