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There will be no talks, for now, between the United States and the Afghanistan‘s Taliban. The Trump administration nixed the meeting after a U.S. service member was killed last week. That means the president’s plan to bring US troops home is up in the air as the war continues in its 18th year.
The president stated said Taliban and Afghan leaders were to visit Camp David Sunday but that plan was scrapped after the terrorist organization took responsibility for a recent bombing that claimed the life of a US serviceman.
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“They tried to use terror to improve their negotiating position,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an interview with Fox News Sunday.
“We are looking for more than words on paper we are looking for real delivered commitment and the Taliban demonstrated either they weren’t willing to or couldn’t live up to the commitment,” he continued.
US negotiators say they had reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban that included reducing violence, publicly breaking with Al Qaeda and keeping Afghanistan from being a haven for terror groups.
The Taliban says it never would’ve agreed to such a meeting with Afghani leaders.
While members of both parties agree it’s time to bring troops home, many question the president’s tactics.
READ: Afghanistan wedding party decimated by child suicide bomber
“He clearly wanted to have this showman’s moment of having them come to Camp David when he didn’t even have a complete ceasefire,” charged 2020 presidential contender Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in an interview with CNN.
“This is exactly what he did with Kim Jong Un bringing a hot dish to the dictator next door,” she continued.
GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) also questioned the location for the meeting.
“Camp David is where America’s leaders met to plan our response after Al Qaeda, supported by the Taliban, killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11. No member of the Taliban should set foot there. Ever,” she wrote in a Twitter post.
“Never should leaders of a terrorist organization that hasn’t renounced 9/11 and continues in evil be allowed in our great country. NEVER. Full stop,” wrote US Air National Guardsman and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).
Former Defense Secretary James Mattis praises the president’s efforts but says it’s tough to make a deal with the terrorist regime.
“Remember when we reduced nuclear weapons with Russia we talked about trust but verify. In this case, with this group, I think you want to verify, then trust,” Mattis told CBS’ Face the Nation.
The president wants to keep his promise to begin drawing down the 14,000 US troops still in Afghanistan.
Reporter Chuck Holton, who works for CBN, recently returned from Afghanistan and says it’s clear the Taliban can wait us out.
“I think what we need to do is leave the Afghans alone and say you can make your country anyway you want,” said Holton.
“But the minute we perceive you to be a threat to the US, things are going to start disappearing in your country,” he continued.
Taliban leaders are out with a warning saying the end of negotiations will only mean harm for America.
