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Pompeo Touts Progress in Afghanistan, Claims Taliban ‘Can’t Wait Us Out’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (right) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 9, 2018. (Andrew Harnik/Reuters)

During his visit to Afghanistan Monday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the Trump administration’s strategy to pacify the country and support the growth of its Democratic institutions is “working,” despite the seemingly intractable problem of the Taliban’s continued control over large swaths of territory.

“I came here today to learn the progress we’ve made,” Pompeo said, referencing the administration’s Afghanistan policy, announced in August, which is focused on signaling resolve by increasing the number of ground-combat troops deployed rather than working to establish a timeline to withdraw U.S. forces. “My conclusion from this visit is the president’s strategy is indeed working.”

Pompeo noted American battlefield successes as well as the planning of Democratic elections scheduled to take place in Afghanistan this fall in defending his optimistic analysis.

“The strategy sent a clear message to the Taliban: They cannot wait us out,” Pompeo said. “Many of the Taliban now see that they can’t win on the ground militarily. That has everything to do with President Trump’s strategy.”

While there have been some recent bright spots in the now 17-year-old conflict — including a brief cease fire last month between Taliban and Afghan forces, which ended after just three days with the death of nearly 30 people in a terror attack — the expert consensus is that conditions remain largely unchanged.

In fact, a study, published in June by the Overseas Development Institute, found that the Taliban has actually solidified its control over Afghan life in the last year, establishing a “sophisticated system of parallel governance,” including government agencies for health care, finance, and the administration of justice. The Taliban has begun investing more resources in establishing a “social fabric” to facilitate governance once U.S. occupation ends, according to the study.

Despite the apparent stagnation, Pompeo signaled resolve in his Monday remarks while standing next to Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.

“We are prepared to participate and facilitate, to help the Afghan people resolve their differences and to provide a place where all of the Afghan people can have their voices heard,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo would not elaborate as to how exactly the U.S. would assist in the peace process, as the administration has ruled out negotiating directly with the Taliban.

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