Trump Administration Should Take Review on Military Situation, Aid Programs in Afghanistan: Curtis

White House top adviser, Lisa Curtis in an interview with Ariananews says the Donlad Trump’s administration should take a review on situation of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s performance.

Donald Trump’s adviser in South Asia affairs, Lisa Curtis said, “I think the Trump administration will have to take a review of the situation in Afghanistan and of course that is directly connected to Pakistan And this review will have to look at not only the military situation but also the aid programs.”

Curtis is said to believe that the White House should focus more on Pakistan which plays a key role.

Lisa Curis noted, “Our diplomacy needs to be working more carefully with Pakistan to convince Pakistan to crack down on the Taliban and Haqqani networks sanctuaries. I think the Trump administration will need to take a more clear and sharper approach to Pakistan.”

She also called Taliban’s activities in Afghanistan alarming and emphasized on further U.S. support from Afghan forces.

Curtis further added, “The security situation in Afghanistan is very dire at the moment. The Taliban have made territorial gains over the last couple of years since the U.S. and NATO forces drawn down and no longer involved in combat operations. Certainly there is a need for more U.S. support to the Afghan security forces as they battle the Taliban so that they can push back the Taliban.”

Trump’s senior adviser also considered Russia’s influence in Afghanistan not effective for the stability of the country.

She said, “The Russians seem to be trying to assert their influence in Afghanistan. I think they are taking advantage of the presidential transition in the U.S. and to assert a great role for themselves. I don’t think they will be successful, they do not have leverage or engagement in the region and there are still a lot of suspicion among the Afghan people toward the Russians. They have been reaching out to Taliban they have tried to make a case that they should fight with the Taliban against ISIS.”

This comes as the new U.S. administration is busy with bargaining about Afghanistan to manage its cooperation in a four-years framework.

Reported by Nazira Karimi from Washington D.C.

Edited by Zack Arya