Sep 20, 2017 - Politics & Policy

Afghan president: Trump's war plan better than Obama's

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai addresses the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday. Photo: Frank Franklin II / AP

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Wednesday that Trump's strategy for the war in Afghanistan is better than Barack Obama's was, per Reuters. The winning points, per Ghani:

  • Trump wants a regional approach
  • Trump wants a harder line with Pakistan
  • Ghani also pointed out Obama didn't have former Afghan President Hamid Karzai on board with U.S. plans

Trump's 4 year plan: Ghani also told NPR in an interview set to air Thursday that the goal with Trump's plan is to bring "80% of the territory of the country under" government control within 4 years, the AP reports. The Taliban currently holds about 50% of territory.

Earlier this week U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis announced the U.S. would be sending more than 3,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

Go deeper: Trump lays out plan to continue Afghanistan War

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Amy Coney Barrett's immediate impact

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

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Where it stands: The Senate votes on Barrett’s nomination tomorrow. If she’s confirmed, Chief Justice John Roberts is expected to swear her in at the Supreme Court within hours, an administration official tells Axios.

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Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

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Why it matters: If Texas — which has 38 electoral votes and is steadily getting more blue, but hasn't backed a Democrat for president since 1976 — flipped to the Biden column, it would be game over. But the RealClearPolitics polling average stubbornly hovers at +2.6 for Trump — and Team Biden appears more focused on closer targets.

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Election night in Trumpworld

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Chris Carlson-Pool/Getty Images

A luxe election-night watch party at the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue is being planned for President Trump's donors, friends and advisers — but Trump's hand in it is minimal because he's "very superstitious" — people familiar with the plans tell Axios.

The big picture: This "mecca for all things MAGA," as one adviser described it, is one of three hubs where they say Trumpworld will watch returns. The others are the war room at campaign HQ in Rosslyn, Virginia, and the White House residence, where Trump and the first lady will gather close family and advisers before heading to the hotel later that night, the sources said.

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