During a White House meeting Monday with Pakistani leader Imran Khan, President Donald Trump said he's motivated to end the 18-year conflict in Afghanistan and has a plan to win it "in a very short period of time."
Trump welcomed Khan Monday afternoon on the Pakistani prime minister's first visit to Washington, D.C. The fighting in Afghanistan was a main topic of discussion, partly because Khan's regime has some influence with the Taliban, with whom U.S. officials have been negotiating an exit in recent weeks.
"We're not fighting a war. If we wanted to fight a war in Afghanistan and win it, I could win that war in a week," Trump said. "I just don't want to kill 10 million people.
"I have a plan that could win that war in a very short period of time. ... We've been there for 19 years in Afghanistan. It's ridiculous."
"There is no military solution in Afghanistan," Khan remarked. "If you go all-out military, millions and millions of people will die. There is only one solution and I feel, it's closest that we have been to a peace deal.
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"We hope in coming days we will be able to urge the Taliban to speak to the Afghan and come to a political settlement."
The leaders also discussed U.S.-Pakistani relations, which took a hit last year when the Trump administration cut off $300 million military aid.
"We paid $1.3 billion to Pakistan in aid for many years. The problem was Pakistan wasn't doing anything for us," he said. "I ended that a year and a half ago. ... I think we have a better relationship with Pakistan right now than when we were paying that money. That money can come back."
The two were set to hold a working lunch later Monday afternoon.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
