McMaster stoutly defends outcomes-based policy

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): The new Afghan strategy announced is aimed at allowing Afghanistan to be Afghanistan, US National Security Advisor Lt Gen HR McMaster said on Friday.

“Winning in Afghanistan is really aimed at allowing Afghanistan to be Afghanistan.  As the president said, not to nation-build, not to create a state in US image,” McMaster told reporters.

At White House news conference, he said winning in Afghanistan meant that there were not terrorist groups with the ability to control key parts of the territory and population centers there.

He added terrorists would not be allowed to use Afghan territory to mobilise resources, raise funds, use them organizs, plan and conduct acts against the US and its allies.

“And so that's what the success is, is really a sustainable outcome there that ensures the safety and security of the American people.  Afghanistan is connected to broader security concerns across the region," he explained.

The outcome, the advisor continued, was to ensure that a threat from that region did not threaten the safety and security of the American people.

“No, I don’t think I'm confident,” he said, when asked if he was certain that a political settlement could be reached between Kabul that would not end up once US forces left Afghanistan.

The Afghans remember 1996 to 2001 and what it was like living under Taliban's regime, he remarked, saying the US was working hard to disconnect the dots , especially in connection with the Taliban's relationship with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organisations.

“But what we also recognise is none of these groups are monolithic or homogenous either.  So if there are those who are ready to join a political process, like Hezb-e-Islami did over the past year, then I don’t think the Afghan government would object to that,” he added.

McMaster said in terms of the outcome in Afghanistan and, broadly, with South Asia strategy, the president had given clear guidance to prioritise the safety and security of the American people.

“The second thing is he wanted us to have a sound regional strategy, not a strategy that lasts a year.  Some people have said -- and I think there's an element of truth to this -- that we've had 16 one-year strategies in Afghanistan,” he observed.

He insisted there was a fundamental change in an outcomes-based strategy rather than a time-based plan, providing a greatest chance to combine military and diplomatic efforts in support of the Afghan government and its long struggle against terrorists.

“I think it was clear to anyone that the approach of, "Well, let's talk with the Taliban and tell them we're leaving at the same time," how would that ever work?  Especially when the Taliban were making battlefield gains associated in large measure with our disengagement from the fight with the Taliban in support of the Afghan forces,” he said.

The Trump administration had adopted a broad approach involving the intelligence community and US partners, he reiterated, saying the president had also asked  how others could do more.

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