Donald Trump imitates PM Modi, uses his words to justify Afghan policy: Report

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi managed to hit off instantly during PM's visit last year. The chemistry was palpable and the bear hugs clearly showed that the two leaders of world's oldest and biggest democracy are well slated to forge a strong relationship. And now if a Washington Post report is to be believed, PM Modi's words about Afghanistan's is even frequently quoted by Trump to justify his policy there. 

The Washington Post reported in an article which said that US will add more than 1,000 troops in war ravaged country by this spring, about how Trump takes PM Modi's words seriously. But as with virtually everything Trump does, there is a touch of showmanship there. So he imitates PM Modi's accent to repeat his words about Afghanistan. According to the article in The Post,  Trump puts on an Indian accent to repeat PM Modi's words, "Never has a country given so much away for so little in return". Post quoting senior officials said that this was said by PM Modi to US Prez Trump in Oval Office last month. And Trump uses PM Modi's words as a benchmark to claim that in eye of the world, United States has been duped and taken advantage in Afghanistan.

According to the Washington Post, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has not signed off on the proposals for the new forces, which are part of a broader strategy to bolster Afghan forces. Military officials expect the total force this spring to be about 15,000 troops. There are 14,000 US troops already present in the war-torn country.

Army's senior leadership supports the likely increase. The new strategy that President Trump approved in August would push US advisory teams to the battalion level, far closer to the front lines, the report said. President Trump announced in August that 3,000 to 4,000 more troops would be sent to Afghanistan in an attempt to finally score a decisive victory in a war that has dragged on for more than fifteen years.

General John Nicholson, the head of US forces in Afghanistan, told reporters last month that there would be more US boots on the ground in the coming months, but did not provide specifics. There are 'well over 1,000 advisers out at any given time,' Nicholson said, but in 2018 'this [number] will increase dramatically'.

With ANI inputs