US President Donald Trump says that the Afghan war has been an “endless war” but pointing to the Afghan peace talks emphasized that lots of positive things are happening in Afghanistan.
Meeting with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at Whitehouse on Tuesday, Trump labeled the war in Afghanistan “ridiculous and unfortunate” adding that 19 years have passed since the war began.
Trump said the US and its NATO allies have made great strides in Afghanistan and are working to end the long-lasted war.
“Well, thank you very much. And I will say — you mentioned Afghanistan. I think we’ve made a lot of great strides recently in Afghanistan. It’s — we call it the “endless war.” Nineteen years. The real number is 19 years. It’s unfortunate. It’s ridiculous. And it’s been a very interesting period of time. But we’ve made a lot of strides. A lot of things are happening in Afghanistan that are very positive. So we’ll see how that all comes out. And I appreciate your help,” Trump said.
Stoltenberg, meanwhile, said the Taliban cannot win on the battlefields and that it is better for the group to sit with the Afghan government at the negotiation table and find a political settlement.
Stoltenberg said the only way that can bring a settlement in Afghanistan is political options and that the US and NATO support Afghanistan Security and Defense Forces and these forces will never lose on the battlefields to the Taliban.
“No, I think it's the right thing to do is to talk to Taliban because that's the only way to find a peaceful negotiated solution. At the same time it's a very close link between our military presence in Afghanistan and what's going on at the negotiating table because the support the NATO allies, the United States and other NATO allies, provides to the Afghan security forces, the Afghan army -- that sends a clear message to Taliban that they will not win on the battlefield, so they have to sit down at the negotiating table and agree to a political solution,” Stoltenberg said.
Trump and Stoltenberg’s remarks over the Afghan war and peace come amid the Afghan government on Tuesday approved Afghanistan’s annual security plan.
The Afghan government has said that the security plan is amid at suppressing insurgents, identifying security vulnerable areas, maintaining security and security the upcoming elections’ security.
“Ministry of Defense announces is fully ready to implement the plan,” said Qais Mangal, spokesman for Ministry of Defense.
“All the goals of the enemy will be defeated by our hero security and defense forces,” said Tariq Aryan, spokesman for the National Security Council.
Taliban reacted to the security plan and labeled it symbolic and said the group will soon announce its spring offensive.