Donald J. Trump Forty-Fifth President
(2017 to 2021)
Remarks On Afghanistan and
South Asia Strategy (Path forward for America's
engagement)
August 21, 2017 - Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia
(Video courtesy of DoD News with editing by USA Patriotism!)
Text Version
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. Please be seated.
Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Tillerson, members of
the Cabinet, General Dunford, Deputy Secretary Shanahan, and Colonel
Duggan. Most especially, thank you to the men and women of Fort Myer
and every member of the United States military at home and abroad.
We send our thoughts and prayers to the families of our brave
sailors who were injured and lost after a tragic collision at sea,
as well as to those conducting the search and recovery efforts.
I am here tonight to lay out our path forward in Afghanistan and
South Asia. But before I provide the details of our new strategy, I
want to say a few words to the servicemembers here with us tonight,
to those watching from their posts, and to all Americans listening
at home.
Since the founding of our republic, our country has
produced a special class of heroes whose selflessness, courage, and
resolve is unmatched in human history.
American patriots from
every generation have given their last breath on the battlefield for
our nation and for our freedom. Through their lives -- and though
their lives were cut short, in their deeds they achieved total
immortality.
By following the heroic example of those who
fought to preserve our republic, we can find the inspiration our
country needs to unify, to heal, and to remain one nation under God.
The men and women of our military operate as one team, with one
shared mission, and one shared sense of purpose.
They
transcend every line of race, ethnicity, creed, and color to serve
together -- and sacrifice together -- in absolutely perfect
cohesion. That is because all servicemembers are brothers and
sisters. They're all part of the same family; it's called the
American family. They take the same oath, fight for the same flag,
and live according to the same law. They are bound together by
common purpose, mutual trust, and selfless devotion to our nation
and to each other.
The soldier understands what we, as a
nation, too often forget that a wound inflicted upon a single member
of our community is a wound inflicted upon us all. When one part of
America hurts, we all hurt. And when one citizen suffers an
injustice, we all suffer together.
Loyalty to our nation
demands loyalty to one another. Love for America requires love for
all of its people. When we open our hearts to patriotism, there is
no room for prejudice, no place for bigotry, and no tolerance for
hate.
The young men and women we send to fight our wars
abroad deserve to return to a country that is not at war with itself
at home. We cannot remain a force for peace in the world if we are
not at peace with each other.
As we send our bravest to
defeat our enemies overseas -- and we will always win -- let us find
the courage to heal our divisions within. Let us make a simple
promise to the men and women we ask to fight in our name that, when
they return home from battle, they will find a country that has
renewed the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that unite us together
as one.
Thanks to the vigilance and skill of the American
military and of our many allies throughout the world, horrors on the
scale of September 11th -- and nobody can ever forget that -- have
not been repeated on our shores.
But we must also
acknowledge the reality I am here to talk about tonight: that nearly
16 years after September 11th attacks, after the extraordinary
sacrifice of blood and treasure, the American people are weary of
war without victory. Nowhere is this more evident than with the war
in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history -- 17 years.
I share the American people’s frustration. I also share their
frustration over a foreign policy that has spent too much time,
energy, money, and most importantly lives, trying to rebuild
countries in our own image, instead of pursuing our security
interests above all other considerations.
That is why,
shortly after my inauguration, I directed Secretary of Defense
Mattis and my national security team to undertake a comprehensive
review of all strategic options in Afghanistan and South Asia.
My original instinct was to pull out -- and, historically, I
like following my instincts. But all my life I've heard that
decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the
Oval Office; in other words, when you're President of the United
States. So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every
conceivable angle. After many meetings, over many months, we held
our final meeting last Friday at Camp David, with my Cabinet and
generals, to complete our strategy. I arrived at three fundamental
conclusions about America’s core interests in Afghanistan.
First, our nation must seek an honorable and enduring outcome worthy
of the tremendous sacrifices that have been made, especially the
sacrifices of lives. The men and women who serve our nation in
combat deserve a plan for victory. They deserve the tools they need,
and the trust they have earned, to fight and to win.
Second,
the consequences of a rapid exit are both predictable and
unacceptable. 9/11, the worst terrorist attack in our history, was
planned and directed from Afghanistan because that country was ruled
by a government that gave comfort and shelter to terrorists. A hasty
withdrawal would create a vacuum that terrorists, including ISIS and
al Qaeda, would instantly fill, just as happened before September
11th.
And, as we know, in 2011, America hastily and
mistakenly withdrew from Iraq. As a result, our hard-won gains
slipped back into the hands of terrorist enemies. Our soldiers
watched as cities they had fought for, and bled to liberate, and
won, were occupied by a terrorist group called ISIS. The vacuum we
created by leaving too soon gave safe haven for ISIS to spread, to
grow, recruit, and launch attacks. We cannot repeat in Afghanistan
the mistake our leaders made in Iraq.
Third and finally, I
concluded that the security threats we face in Afghanistan and the
broader region are immense. Today, 20 U.S.-designated foreign
terrorist organizations are active in Afghanistan and Pakistan --
the highest concentration in any region anywhere in the world.
For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven 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. And that could happen.
No
one denies that we have inherited a challenging and troubling
situation in Afghanistan and South Asia, but we do not have the
luxury of going back in time and making different or better
decisions. When I became President, I was given a bad and very
complex hand, but I fully knew what I was getting into: big and
intricate problems. But, one way or another, these problems will be
solved -- I'm a problem solver -- and, in the end, we will win.
We must address the reality of the world as it exists right now
-- the threats we face, and the confronting of all of the problems
of today, and extremely predictable consequences of a hasty
withdrawal.
We need look no further than last week’s vile,
vicious attack in Barcelona to understand that terror groups will
stop at nothing to commit the mass murder of innocent men, women and
children. You saw it for yourself. Horrible.
As I outlined
in my speech in Saudi Arabia three months ago, America and our
partners are committed to stripping terrorists of their territory,
cutting off their funding, and exposing the false allure of their
evil ideology.
Terrorists who slaughter innocent people will
find no glory in this life or the next. They are nothing but thugs,
and criminals, and predators, and -- that's right -- losers. Working
alongside our allies, we will break their will, dry up their
recruitment, keep them from crossing our borders, and yes, we will
defeat them, and we will defeat them handily.
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.
But to prosecute this
war, we will learn from history. As a result of our comprehensive
review, American strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia will change
dramatically in the following ways:
A core pillar of our new
strategy is a shift from a time-based approach to one based on
conditions. I’ve said it many times how counterproductive it is for
the United States to announce in advance the dates we intend to
begin, or end, military options. We will not talk about numbers of
troops or our plans for further military activities.
Conditions on the ground -- not arbitrary timetables -- will guide
our strategy from now on. America’s enemies must never know our
plans or believe they can wait us out. I will not say when we are
going to attack, but attack we will.
Another fundamental
pillar of our new strategy is the integration of all instruments of
American power -- diplomatic, economic, and military -- toward a
successful outcome.
Someday, after an effective military
effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement
that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan, but nobody
knows if or when that will ever happen. America will continue its
support for the Afghan government and the Afghan military as they
confront the Taliban in the field.
Ultimately, it is up to
the people of Afghanistan to take ownership of their future, to
govern their society, and to achieve an everlasting peace. We are a
partner and a friend, but we will not dictate to the Afghan people
how to live, or how to govern their own complex society. We are not
nation-building again. We are killing terrorists.
The next
pillar of our new strategy is to change the approach and how to deal
with Pakistan. We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe
havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups
that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to
gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to
lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists.
In the
past, Pakistan has been a valued partner. Our militaries have worked
together against common enemies. The Pakistani people have suffered
greatly from terrorism and extremism. We recognize those
contributions and those sacrifices.
But Pakistan has also
sheltered the same organizations that try every single day to kill
our people. 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. No partnership can survive a country’s harboring of
militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and
officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to
civilization, order, and to peace.
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.
Finally, my administration will ensure that you, the brave defenders
of the American people, will have the necessary tools and rules of
engagement to make this strategy work, and work effectively and work
quickly.
I have already lifted restrictions the previous
administration placed on our warfighters that prevented the
Secretary of Defense and our commanders in the field from fully and
swiftly waging battle against the enemy. Micromanagement from
Washington, D.C. does not win battles. They are won in the field
drawing upon the judgment and expertise of wartime commanders and
frontline soldiers acting in real time, with real authority, and
with a clear mission to defeat the enemy.
That’s why we will
also expand authority for American armed forces to target the
terrorist and criminal networks that sow violence and chaos
throughout Afghanistan. These killers need to know they have nowhere
to hide; that no place is beyond the reach of American might and
Americans arms. Retribution will be fast and powerful.
As we
lift restrictions and expand authorities in the field, we are
already seeing dramatic results in the campaign to defeat ISIS,
including the liberation of Mosul in Iraq.
Since my
inauguration, we have achieved record-breaking success in that
regard. We will also maximize sanctions and other financial and law
enforcement actions against these networks to eliminate their
ability to export terror. When America commits its warriors to
battle, we must ensure they have every weapon to apply swift,
decisive, and overwhelming force.
Our troops will fight to
win. We will fight to win. From now on, victory will have a clear
definition: attacking our enemies, obliterating ISIS, crushing al
Qaeda, preventing the Taliban from taking over Afghanistan, and
stopping mass terror attacks against America before they emerge.
We will ask our NATO allies and global partners to support our
new strategy with additional troop and funding increases in line
with our own. We are confident they will. Since taking office, I
have made clear that our allies and partners must contribute much
more money to our collective defense, and they have done so.
In this struggle, the heaviest burden will continue to be borne by
the good people of Afghanistan and their courageous armed forces. As
the prime minister of Afghanistan has promised, we are going to
participate in economic development to help defray the cost of this
war to us.
Afghanistan is fighting to defend and secure
their country against the same enemies who threaten us. The stronger
the Afghan security forces become, the less we will have to do.
Afghans will secure and build their own nation and define their own
future. We want them to succeed.
But we will no longer use
American military might to construct democracies in faraway lands,
or try to rebuild other countries in our own image. Those days are
now over. Instead, we will work with allies and partners to protect
our shared interests. We are not asking others to change their way
of life, but to pursue common goals that allow our children to live
better and safer lives. This principled realism will guide our
decisions moving forward.
Military power alone will not
bring peace to Afghanistan or stop the terrorist threat arising in
that country. But strategically applied force aims to create the
conditions for a political process to achieve a lasting peace.
America will work with the Afghan government as long as we see
determination and progress. However, our commitment is not
unlimited, and our support is not a blank check. The government of
Afghanistan must carry their share of the military, political, and
economic burden. The American people expect to see real reforms,
real progress, and real results. Our patience is not unlimited. We
will keep our eyes wide open.
In abiding by the oath I took
on January 20th, I will remain steadfast in protecting American
lives and American interests. In this effort, we will make common
cause with any nation that chooses to stand and fight alongside us
against this global threat. Terrorists take heed: America will never
let up until you are dealt a lasting defeat.
Under my
administration, many billions of dollars more is being spent on our
military. And this includes vast amounts being spent on our nuclear
arsenal and missile defense.
In every generation, we have
faced down evil, and we have always prevailed. We prevailed because
we know who we are and what we are fighting for.
Not far
from where we are gathered tonight, hundreds of thousands of
America’s greatest patriots lay in eternal rest at Arlington
National Cemetery. There is more courage, sacrifice, and love in
those hallowed grounds than in any other spot on the face of the
Earth.
Many of those who have fought and died in Afghanistan
enlisted in the months after September 11th, 2001. They volunteered
for a simple reason: They loved America, and they were determined to
protect her.
Now we must secure the cause for which they
gave their lives. We must unite to defend America from its enemies
abroad. We must restore the bonds of loyalty among our citizens at
home, and we must achieve an honorable and enduring outcome worthy
of the enormous price that so many have paid.
Our actions,
and in the months to come, all of them will honor the sacrifice of
every fallen hero, every family who lost a loved one, and every
wounded warrior who shed their blood in defense of our great nation.
With our resolve, we will ensure that your service and that your
families will bring about the defeat of our enemies and the arrival
of peace.
We will push onward to victory with power in our
hearts, courage in our souls, and everlasting pride in each and
every one of you.
Thank you. May God bless our military. And
may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much.
Thank you. (Applause.)
