U.S President recently announced his new Afghan strategy.
What are the highlights of the strategy?
Pakistan - It is acknowledged the fact that Pakistan has been playing a destructive role in Afghanistan by providing support and sanctuary to terrorists.
India - India is the ninth biggest trading partner of the U.S. and India had a trade surplus of around $26 billion with the U.S. in goods trade alone in 2016.
It pointed out that India makes billions of dollars in trade with the United States and in return it wants India to help US more with Afghanistan.
It recognized India as a strategic partner for security and economic development in Afghanistan.
Similar demands were made on South Korea, Japan and Germany.
By inviting India to be a partner in Afghanistan, it entirely overruled Pakistan’s position that India’s involvement to its west is part of the problem.
South Asia - It followed the previous administration’s understanding of South Asia as a nuclear flash point.
It sees the relationship between Pakistan and India as worsening wants to prevent nuclear weapons of either of the countries from falling into the hands of terrorists.
ANDSF - It reiterated the centrality of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in defense of Afghan values, and safeguarding the space for democratic & constitutional play by keeping the Taliban and other terrorists at bay with military and financial assistance of the US.
It clarified U.S’ stance in Afghanistan as not nation-building but killing terrorists.
