Afghanistan shouldn’t expect a windfall of American development money as the U.S. carries out an expected reduction in the number of troops in the country, Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters outside his office on Capitol Hill, the South Carolina Republican said other countries in the region should pick up more of that role, so the U.S. military can concentrate on the fight against radical forces.
“We should put our resources in counter-terrorism. That should be our core mission,” Mr. Graham, a confidant of President Trump, told reporters.
Days after he returned from a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan, a cautiously optimistic Mr. Graham said signs appear positive about the future for the troubled country, which could include a cut in the number of American military personnel in the region.
“We’re closer today than at any other time,” he said.
Mr. Graham said Gen. Scott Miller, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, told him it would be possible to reduce the number of American troops there and continue the mission of counter-terrorism and advising the Afghan military.
“I believe we can reduce our forces to below 12,000 based on the capabilities of the Afghans increasing,” Sen. Graham said. “That is not the beginning of a withdrawal. It is a reduction in force.”
But any troop numbers below 8,600 would mean the U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be unable to carry out advise and assist duties or counter-terrorism missions, Mr. Graham added.
After a cessation of hostilities, it could be possible to deal with the Taliban in some fashion, he said.
“There will come a day when the Taliban reconciles with the people of Afghanistan,” he said.
But an increase in the number of ISIS affiliate fighters in Afghanistan remains a source of concern.
“I don’t see a safe way out of Afghanistan for a while until we improve the counterterror capabilities of any partner we have,” there, Sen. Graham said.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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