Trump admits US will not withdraw from Afghanistan
US military forces will remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future and may even increase in numbers, according to President Donald Trump.
Speaking to troops in Virginia, Trump said his administration would be implementing a new strategy for its intervention in the country on the advice of top military officials.
Trump also said in the address that his government would aid its Afghan counterparts in staving off the threat of the Taliban.
"My original instinct was to pull out,” Trump admitted, but went on to say that “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and al-Qaeda."
“A hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for terrorists, including ISIS and al-Qaeda" Trump
"The security threats we face in Afghanistan and the broader region are immense."
He added that the US would place more pressure on Pakistan to contribute to a more stable Middle-East.
"For its part, Pakistan often gives safe havens to agents of chaos, violence and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states, whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict," Trump said.
Since the former reality show host took over the White House in January, his administration has given the Pentagon authority for the deployment of 4,000 extra troops to Afghanistan.