US President Donald Trump’s Tough Stand Against Pakistan and more Highlights from his Speech

• We must stop the resurgence of safe havens that enable terrorists to threaten America
• The new policy by Trump will allow the military to observe the conditions on the ground before they take a decision on if they want to attack or withdraw
• We have been paying Pakistan billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting

Virginia, USA, August 23, 2017: US President Donald Trump in his speech at Arlington, Virginia on August 21, 2017, divulged details on his new policy for Afghanistan and South Asia. He made it clear in his speech that American troops will continue to fight the war between US and Afghanistan, the longest war in US history which has been continuing for 17 years.

Trump made it a point to announce that he's not just rearranging the Afghanistan policy. He also spoke against Pakistan and criticized them for harboring the terrorists and said that the US would want India's help and contribution to restore the stability of Afghanistan.

Trump said, "In Afghanistan and Pakistan, America's interests are clear. We must stop the resurgence of safe havens that enable terrorists to threaten America, and we must prevent nuclear weapons and materials from coming into the hands of terrorists and being used against us, or anywhere in the world for that matter."

Trump listed out the factors that would lead to a change in Afghanistan and South Asia policy in the coming years:

• Donald Trump criticized Barack Obama
  Trump, many times during his presidential campaign has criticized former US President Barack Obama "for announcing a date by which American troops would withdraw from Afghanistan." He said that it allowed Taliban and others like them to reassemble and lay waiting for them to do so.
• The new policy by Trump will allow the military to observe the conditions on the ground before they take a decision on if they want to attack or withdraw. Though it seems like a wise decision, it also means that the US troops are likely to be in Afghanistan for few more years, by taking into consideration how long this war has continued. The US President stressed upon, "A shift from a time-based approach to one based on conditions."

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• Trump talked of a successful outcome

America will focus on their interests first, Donald Trump said, "The integration of all instruments of American power – diplomatic, economic, and military – toward a successful outcome." Trump said that America has spent a lot of time, money and soldier's lives to try and rebuild countries in its own image. He expressed that a future political solution in Afghanistan might even include the Taliban, but it is up to the people of Afghanistan to take that decision. "We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists," he said.

• On Pakistan

Trump said, "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat." Trump made some strong remarks about Pakistan, a country that has apparently been an American ally for decades, but was also often accused of taking funds from USA and using them to "take part in an arms race with India", instead of using that money to fight the terror organizations which were often nurtured by them. Trump said, "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately."

• On wanting cooperation from India

Donald Trump then talked about India and said: "Another critical part of the South Asia strategy for America is to further develop its strategic partnership with India – the world's largest democracy and a key security and economic partner of the United States. We appreciate India's important contributions to stability in Afghanistan, but India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States, and we want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development. We are committed to pursuing our shared objectives for peace and security in South Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region."

Trump called for India's helping hand- He wants India to play a much larger role in the rebuilding of Afghanistan, particularly in the areas like development and economic assistance. This came as positive news to New Delhi, and the Ministry of External Affairs was ready to welcome the statement with open arms. The spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs said "We welcome President Trump's determination to enhance efforts to overcome the challenges facing Afghanistan and confronting issues of safe havens and other forms of cross-border support enjoyed by terrorists. India shares these concerns and objectives."

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But Donald Trump's framing of the issue has a problem in it – this seems transactional (like a business deal) and the narrative put forward by the US President saying that Afghan reconstruction is mainly an American effort only. Trump said, "But India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States," he said this as if he wants to say that this should be the reason due to which New Delhi should do what Washington asks from it. Though India's trade relations with the US shouldn't be the reason for which India would take a bigger role in Afghanistan reconstruction. Instead, it is because of India's personal interests in wanting to see Afghanistan as a stable, peaceful and terror-free region which leads it to move in the direction of forming a partnership with Kabul. Journalist Bobby Ghosh said, "One of the strengths of India's involvement in Afghanistan is that it is seen unambiguously as Indian involvement."

The real hindrance to a much larger involvement of India in Afghanistan is the danger of Pakistan taking revenge and they have been more than willing to use their weapons of terror against India in the past. This is where Trump's strict stand on Pakistan is welcome and much needed.hat we don't know is how much of Trump's words will turn into action in the coming years. In the past also, American leaders have vowed to be strict with Pakistan, but they caved into demands of the country's military. Now, Trump has talked about a "dramatically changed" approach, and these have been the most direct remarks coming from a US president regarding Pakistan till now. Now, only time will tell how much change can this bring.

What we don't know is how much of Trump's words will turn into action in the coming years. In the past also, American leaders have vowed to be strict with Pakistan, but they caved into demands of the country's military. Now, Trump has talked about a "dramatically changed" approach, and these have been the most direct remarks coming from a US president regarding Pakistan till now. Now, only time will tell how much change can this bring.

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