Trump Gives Mattis Authority to Decide Afghanistan Troop Levels
Mattis says the U.S. isn’t “winning” in Afghanistan.
Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters
President Donald Trump has reportedly given Defense Secretary James Mattis the authority to determine troop levels in Afghanistan. A U.S. official told Reuters that a decision has not yet been made with regard to a possible increase in the number of troops stationed there. Currently, 8,400 American soldiers are in Afghanistan, but Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier Tuesday that “we are not winning in Afghanistan right now. And we will correct this as soon as possible.”
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