https://www.wibc.com/news/local-news/braun-backs-trump-taliban-talks-bolton-ouster
Indiana Senator Mike Braun is supporting President Trump’s aborted peace talks with the Taliban.
Even some Republicans questioned Trump’s attempt to negotiate with the Taliban, especially at Camp David the weekend before 9/11. But Braun says the U.S. has to pursue peace talks. He says with the deficit topping a trillion dollars, the U.S. doesn’t have the financial ability to stay in Afghanistan indefinitely, at least not without support from its allies.
Trump revealed the previously secret plans for talks in a weekend tweet, at the same time he announced he’d canceled them because of a Taliban attack on U.S. troops.
Braun says the U.S. should be reducing its overseas involvement more broadly, while still remaining vigilant to protect the country from attack. He suggests National Security Adviser John Bolton’s more hawkish approach is part of why Trump fired him. He says Trump is in the best position to assess whether Bolton’s outlook fits his long-term strategy.
Bolton maintains he resigned, without any push from the White House.
Braun cautions against raising hopes of an agreement too high. He says the Taliban has demonstrated its commitment to hunkering down to try to outlast U.S. patience.
