Trump's decision has leaked. 2 sources told me Trump is going w/ consensus plan: few extra thousan [View all]

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Monica Webster Retweeted
Kate Brannen‏Verified account @K8brannen 30m30 minutes ago

Trump's decision has leaked. Two sources told me Trump is going w/ consensus plan: few extra thousand troops.

Link to tweet

https://www.axios.com/axios-sneak-peek-2475058606.html



Axios Sneak Peek
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1 big thing: Trump's Afghanistan decision

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

President Trump will address the nation on his Afghanistan war strategy tomorrow at 9 p.m. from Fort Myer in Arlington, VA. It's one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, and it comes after Trump met with his national security team on Friday at Camp David.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Sunday, per Reuters: "I am very comfortable that the strategic process was sufficiently rigorous and did not go in with a pre-set position."
The stakes: Should Trump order a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, advisers believe he'd all but ensure the Taliban completes its takeover of the country. Al-Qaeda and ISIS would be allowed to flourish, and you'd have a terrorist launching pad similar to, or potentially worse than, before 9/11.

Trump's decision hasn't leaked; but I can illuminate some of the private conversations leading up to it, from senior administration sources and former officials close to the Pentagon:

Trump's top national security advisers all agree the only way they'll win their missions in Afghanistan is to modestly increase troop levels, keep training the Afghan military, and keep a strong CIA and special forces presence to run aggressive counter-terrorism operations.

Two missions:..........................