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National Security Adviser John Bolton, NSC Initially Left Out of Afghanistan Talks: Report

Bolton was reportedly kept out of a recent key meeting discussing Afghanistan policy.

National security adviser John Bolton was reportedly not invited to a meeting earlier this month discussing the future of Afghanistan, in light of a peace deal the U.S. is attempting to forge with the Taliban. According to sources cited by The Washington Post, Bolton’s opposition to the diplomatic effort with the Taliban has annoyed President Trump and has led to aides keeping the National Security Council out of discussions regarding Afghanistan. Bolton reportedly got a seat at the meeting only after one of his aides went to chief of staff Mick Mulvaney about the matter, and the meeting reportedly opened with Bolton and Trump expressing countering views on policy. This comes after Trump announced that he intended to draw down the number of troops in Afghanistan to 8,600. While Bolton is reportedly not opposed to the draw down, he does not like the potential deal with the Taliban—which would have the U.S. withdraw troops in exchange for the Taliban's renouncement of al-Qaeda.