Pence goes to bat for president’s new Afghanistan policy

Vice President Mike Pence took a cue from President Trump and also stayed mum on the number of American troops to be sent to Afghanistan as part of the administration’s newly-announced plan.

‘What the president has decided is to deploy a sufficient number of troops at the brigade level in Afghanistan to assist the Afghans, who are in the lead, who are … at the tip of the spear in this fight,’ Pence told NBC’s Matt Lauer Tuesday morning on the Today show. 

The number the Pentagon had floated was 4,000 and Trump was expected to announce his approval of his generals’ plan during his speech Monday night in Arlington. 

Instead, Trump said part of his strategy was to not release numbers and disclose timelines, something he’s faulted his predecessor for doing in the past. 

 

Vice President Mike Pence went on morning television to back President Trump’s plans on Afghanistan, though wouldn’t share more details 

On Fox & Friends, Vice President Mike Pence talked about being the father of a U.S. Marine, speaking about how proud he was to see Trump make this decision 

On Fox & Friends, Vice President Mike Pence talked about being the father of a U.S. Marine, speaking about how proud he was to see Trump make this decision 

‘We will not announce our plans for further military activities. Conditions on the ground, not arbitrary timetables, will guide our strategy from now on,’ Trump pledged in his address Monday night.  

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley reinforced that the public shouldn’t expect to hear details about exactly what President Trump has in mind.

Haley, who was at the speech, told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Tuesday: ‘What you’re not going to hear are the details’ of the plan.

‘In the past we’ve had administrations that have given out everything we’re doing, when we’re doing it and how we’re doing it. You’re not going to hear that now,’ she said, in a reference to President Obama’s troop surge.

She described the commitment as open-ended. ‘It’s not going to be based on time; it’s going to be based on results,’ Haley said. ‘It’s not going to be like the last 16 years.’

On Tuesday morning, appearing on both the Today show and Fox & Friends, Pence defended the Trump plan, though suggested the administration would be more forthcoming than the president initially said. 

‘I think it’s yet to be seen,’ Pence said when Lauer asked for a number.

‘And we’ll certainly be making that information available as the president receives recommendations,’ the vice president pledged. 

Speaking more broadly, Pence said that, ‘President Trump sent a message of resolve and commitment. He said to the people of Afghanistan, we are with you. He said to Pakistan that they need to stop up. He’s calling on India to be a better and more strategic partner.’ 

‘This is a whole new regional strategy for South Asia and it’s all driving toward the objective of a stable and peaceful Afghanistan,’ Pence said.  

Over on Fox & Friends, Pence vouched for Trump as he reminded the audience he was a member of a military family himself. 

‘As a father of a United States Marine, I couldn’t be more proud to have seen the way this president went about this decision,’ Pence said. ‘He asked all the hard questions. He demanded answers. Not just from our military personnel, but our diplomatic team and everyone who can bring expertise to this decision.’ 

UN Amb. Nikki Haley appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday to advance the president's plan for Afghanistan 

UN Amb. Nikki Haley appeared on Good Morning America Tuesday to advance the president’s plan for Afghanistan 

‘And the way he went about this decision, and the way he squared his shoulders, he said to the American people and he said to the world, “Here is what we need to do for our safety and our security,”‘ Pence added. 

At last night’s speech President Trump also admitted that he had been wrong on Afghanistan when he said during the presidential campaign that the country’s best course of action was to pull out. 

‘My original instinct was to pull out, and historically I like following my instincts,’ the president said. 

‘But all my life, I’ve heard that decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office – in other words, when you’re president of the United States,’ Trump continued. 

‘So I studied Afghanistan in great detail and from every conceivable angle,’ Trump said, explaining how he had come to the decision he had. 

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