Political Science Essay: Trump's Blame Game for America's Failures in Afghanistan

During his campaign, President Donald Trump called for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan stating that the country was stuck in a war that it is not winning. Back in 2013 before announcing his candidature for presidency Trump complained that America's presence in Afghanistan was a waste of state funds. Recently, Trump re-affirmed his statement of pulling out from Afghanistan however, after a series of consultations with the military and other stakeholders the president has had a change of mind to restore peace in the region. The U.S. has not been able to break the deadlock of conflict in Afghanistan despite many years of intervention and Trump thinks it is because America has been playing too nice.

While addressing the nation from Base Myer- Henderson in Arlington, Virginia on August 21, 2017, the US President outlined his new policy on the Americas longest running war. Additionally, he sent a serious warning to Pakistan that they should not regard the support as a "blank check" and that the U.S. will only commit to the conflict if they witness determination and progress in stabilising Afghanistan.

Unlike his predecessors, Trump's strategy for the conflict is to engage the Taliban and Al-Qaida with a maximum commitment from Pakistan to help end the conflict and deny haven for militant and terrorist groups. He further reiterates that U.S presence in Afghanistan is to stop terrorism and not to support the regime establish a civil society. Trump's policy comes against the backdrop of three main factors. These are: Honoring the sacrifice of fallen soldiers, risk of creation of a new vacuum for terrorist upon withdrawal and the need to protect the country against terrorist invasion.

Regarding Afghan Muslims in America, the U.S President continues to take his hard position on immigration ban for Muslims until the country is in a position to accurately scan those entering the country. For instance, investigation shows that Omar Mateen, the Florida gunman was born in Afghanistan. Therefore, Afghan Muslims would not be exempted from the ban. As a Muslim it feels horrific to live in Trumps America given his claims that Muslims hate Americans. On the other hand, as a political student Trumps move emanates purely from rigid ideology of the republicans who believe that the country should put Americans first always.

Trump's Afghanistan Policy is critical to both countries. However, Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting different results, according to Albert Einstein (Basit). Trump's new approach to reignite fight-fight strategy is doomed to fail. The United States over the past decades has been inconsistent in its policies and impatient plans which continue to weaken Afghanistan. The problem is that the U.S seeks to restore peace in Afghanistan but only in its terms.

Work Cited

Basit, Abdul. "Trump Is Treating Pakistan Like a Scapegoat for America's Failures in Afghanistan." The National Interest (2016): 2-3.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/trump-treating-pakistan-scapegoat-americas-failures-22192.