Trump makes surprise visit to US troops in Afghanistan on Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving, US President Donald Trump made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan and met the US troops at the Bagram airbase outside the capital Kabul. As per reports, Trump served turkey to troops in a cafeteria, posed for photographs, and delivered remarks in a hangar in a visit which lasted for three and a half hours. He also met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. There are about 13,000 US troops in Afghanistan, 18 years after the United States invaded retaliating over the 9/11 attacks. Earlier in 2019, the United States reached a deal with the Taliban insurgents to pull troops from the country in return for security guarantees. Yet hopes of reconciliation diminished as Trump in Septemeber said that the talks are "dead" over the killing of a US soldier. Recent developments suggest that the talks could be renewed. Though the terror group has refused any negotiations with the Afghan government, diplomatic efforts continue to foster dialogue for a peace deal.

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Trump hinted on a deal with Taliban

Trump travelled with Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming and a small clutch of aides, including his acting Chief of Staff, Press Secretary and National Security Adviser and appeared in good spirits. He was escorted around the base by heavily armed soldiers. First lady Melania Trump did not make the trip unlike last year’s post-Christmas visit to Iraq. During his visit, Trump announced that the U.S. and Taliban have been engaged in peace talks and insisted the Taliban want to make a deal. It was not clear how long or substantive the US reengagement with the Taliban has been.

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“We’re meeting with them. And we’re saying it has to be a cease-fire. And they don’t want to do a cease-fire, but now they do want to do a cease-fire, I believe ... and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said.

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Trump aims to end "endless wars"

In his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to end US' “endless wars” and has been pushing to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and in the Middle East despite protests. hE has described American forces as “policemen” and argued that other countries’ wars should be theirs to wage. More than 2,400 American service members have been killed since the war began 18 years ago. Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last week to oversee the transfer of the remains of two Army officers killed when their helicopter crashed as they provided security for troops in Afghanistan. The Taliban still controls about half of the country, staging frequent attacks.

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