‘Trump quotes Modi to support Afghanistan stand’

Recalls a statement that the PM had made last year

U.S. President Donald Trump quotes Prime Minister Narendra Modi in internal deliberations to buttress his point that the American strategy in Afghanistan has been a failure, the Washington Post reported.

The Post said Mr. Trump also imitates Mr. Modi’s accent while quoting him.

“Never has a country given so much away for so little in return,” Mr. Modi had said of the U.S role in Afghanistan, during his interactions at the White House last year. The Prime Minister had possibly meant it as an appreciation of the American commitment in Afghanistan, but Mr. Trump sees it as an endorsement of his long held position that the U.S has been foolish in staying on in the trouble-torn country.

After much dithering in the initial months, Mr. Trump approved the open-ended continuation of American troops in Afghanistan.

No nation building

The Trump administration, however, says its policy, unlike the previous Obama administration, does not attempt any nation building there.

Since the announcement of the new South Asia policy by Mr Trump, American troop levels have increased in Afghanistan and a newly formed Security Force Assistance Brigade is set to be deployed there soon.

The expanding role of the U.S. military will take it closer to the frontlines and into combat roles. Mr. Trump has also authorized air strikes, which were discontinued earlier.