WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump told Americans on Tuesday his administration had accelerated talks for a political settlement in Afghanistan, and would be able to reduce US troops there as negotiations advance to end America’s longest war.
“Great nations do not fight endless wars,” Trump said in his annual State of the Union address to Congress, in which he also said US troops had nearly defeated Islamic State militants in Syria and it was time to bring them home.
After 17 years of war in Afghanistan, Trump praised “the unmatched valor” of US forces.
“Thanks to their bravery, we are now able to pursue a possible political solution to this long and bloody conflict,” Trump said.
He said his administration was holding constructive talks with a number of groups, including the Taliban.
“As we make progress in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop presence and focus on counter-terrorism. And we will indeed focus on counter-terrorism,” Trump said.
Trump offered no specifics about when he would bring home the 14,000 US troops now in Afghanistan.
US-led forces in 2001 toppled the hardline Taliban for harboring the al Qaeda militants responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks. (Reuters)
