US in process of reviewing Afghan policy: General

Washington, March 30

A top American commander has said the Trump administration is in the process of reviewing its policy in Afghanistan.

“We are at a stalemate right now (in Afghanistan). Right now, it is in favor of the government but stalemates have a tendency to decline over time so I think we do have to continue to support this,” General Joselg L Votel, Commander of US Central Command, told members of the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Wednesday.

He said with around 8,000 US troops on the ground in Afghanistan, the US has two missions in the country. “One is our counterterrorism mission, fully resourced, that is going pretty well. I feel very confident in that.

“The other one is the NATO mission, to train, advise, and assist. That is one where I think we ought to consider looking at our objectives here and how we continue to support that mission going forward and ensure that the government of Afghanistan has the time and the capabilities to accomplish what they need to,” Votel said. — PTI