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Editorial: Trump, not military, should set troop levels in Afghanistan

 
Published June 23, 2017

There is no task more solemn for any American president than the decision to send troops off to war. In delegating authority over troops levels in Afghanistan to the Pentagon, President Donald Trump has shirked his obligation to own and defend his Afghan policy, while further divorcing America's military strategy there from its larger political goals.

Earlier this month, Trump gave Defense Secretary James Mattis the authority to set troop levels in Afghanistan. The move came in response to a request by military commanders in the field for up to 5,000 additional U.S. troops to complement the 8,400 U.S. troops already there as part of the 13,000-strong NATO force.

The Pentagon characterized the deployment as a means for strengthening the existing U.S. effort to train and advise Afghan forces. But this would be a major spike in the American military presence, putting more U.S. lives closer to the fighting, in a war 15 years old with no obvious end — and one the defense secretary acknowledged this month the United States was "not winning."

The Obama administration was fairly criticized for often micromanaging U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. But troop levels go beyond tactics, and this is a presidential-level decision Trump needs to make. By handing it to the Pentagon, Trump has ceded a vital aspect of civilian control of the military. He has distanced himself from a policy that could result in the deaths of more Americans and Afghan civilians. And Trump's move comes before he followed through on a commitment to chart a new course in the Afghan war. Officials say a new strategy is not expected until at least next month.

The Taliban and al-Qaida have made gains in Afghanistan that threaten America's interests in the region. The Afghan central government is hobbled by strife and corruption, and its security forces are reeling from losses and defections on the battlefield. The Pentagon is not blinded to this reality, but its commanders, as would be expected, too often view the conflict in military rather than in political terms. It's a recipe for mission creep and sidelining diplomacy.

Trump already has given the Pentagon similar latitude to make military decisions in Iraq, Syria and Somalia. While many may trust military professionals over this president, the decision concentrates too much power in the military, diminishes the voice of the State Department and sets the wrong example to nations where the United States is trying to foster democracy. This is a decision a president should make and defend.