McMaster's Afghan War, and Trump's likely response to it

Trump's National Security Advisor, H. R. McMaster, has given Trump a new plan for Afghanistan. In it, McMaster suggests that 50,000 American troops should be deployed, the Afghani government should be strengthened and the Taliban should be "brought to the negotiating table."

50,000 American troops will not solve the Afghan debacle. On the one hand, American public support for the war is waning. On the other hand, an American troop surge could betray Trump's platform of "America First" by getting bogged down in Afghanistan with no end in sight.

It is more likely that Trump will take the concept - 50,000 troops - and apply it to NATO, making Afghanistan a NATO project rather than an American one. As stated in previous articles, this would reinforce Trump's stance on making NATO directed towards radical Islamic terrorism rather than towards Russia. At the same time, with Russia eyeing Afghanistan closely on the side of the Taliban, NATO partners could be convinced that a show of force in Afghanistan is actually a show of force against Russia anyway.

While the Afghani government should be strengthened, this strengthening should not be through rebuilding infrastructure that the Taliban will just knock down. A more sensible way to provide support to the government is by wresting back control of the different resources from the Taliban, which on the one hand deprive the Taliban of these resources and on the other hand provide opportunity for the Afghan government to be more independent of foreign aid.

Bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table is the worst idea of all. Al-Qaeda's leader pledges allegiance to the leader of the Taliban. Taliban and Al-Qaeda are one and the same. Ignoring this fact will ensure the Afghan War is never won.

The only solution for Afghanistan is in the complete and utter destruction of the Taliban. Trump has shown admiration for Russia's fight against ISIS - a similar campaign of annihilation against the Taliban is the only way to bring peace to Afghanistan.