President Trump Has Options in Afghanistan

But Does He Have the Will

15 August 2021: Situation Room (White House)

As President Trump gets his cabinet assembled and through the confirmation process, he’ll have plenty of hot spots to tackle. From the border to a revanchist China, President Trump’s team will have plenty of hard decisions to make. Thus, it’s understandable if an old ghost from the past doesn’t get as much attention as other issues.

Nevertheless, President Trump has an opportunity to lead in Afghanistan, which has become a haven for Al Qaeda and its allies after the Biden administration’s withdrawal in August 2021. Since the precipitous withdrawal, Al Qaeda, with the support and approval of the Taliban state, has established significant infrastructure in the country, including training camps, safe houses, religious schools, a media operation center, and a weapons storage depot. Al Qaeda’s leader has called for Muslims across the globe to travel to Afghanistan to gain training, experience, and knowledge before undertaking attacks against so-called “Zionist” and Western targets around the world.