Trump Over-Emphasizes the Military in Afghanistan

Six months into his presidency, Donald Trump and his national security team are struggling to develop an Afghanistan strategy. His defense secretary, Jim Mattis, presented a proposal last month, which included an increase in the U.S.  military presence in Afghanistan by 4,000 troops, but the president rejected it, ordering his team to come up with a better plan. This week it has been reported that Trump is considering replacing U.S. forces in Afghanistan with private security contractors, an idea that has received heavy criticism.

The Cipher Brief’s Bennett Seftel sat down with Dr. Barnett Rubin, an expert on Afghanistan at New York University, to discuss some of the issues facing U.S. policymakers as they deliberate next moves in Afghanistan.