The Afghan Surge Trump Needs
The Pentagon wants more troops. But it’s the mission that matters.
Article/Op-Ed in Politico Magazine
May 17, 2017
John Dempsey wrote for Politico Magazine about President Trump's forthcoming Afghanistan strategy:
To change the trajectory of the war, a comprehensive political, economic, military, diplomatic and regional strategy is needed. The Obama administration knew this, but it obsessed over troop numbers, drawdown plans and ending the war. As Team Trump mulls options, they must avoid reinventing the flat tire. In particular, they need to resist the notion that they can turn the tide with more troops and beat back the Taliban. Instead, they need to recognize that success in Afghanistan will only come through a political settlement among all major Afghan factions, including the Taliban.