It’s being reported this morning that both John Bolton and VP Mike Pence disagreed with meeting with the Taliban:
NBC NEWS – President Donald Trump’s decision to hold a meeting in Washington with Taliban leaders and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to try to solidify a peace deal to end the 18-year-long war was first discussed about a week ago, according to U.S. officials and others briefed on the discussion.
The idea raised Sept. 1 during a Situation Room meeting with the president was vehemently opposed by national security adviser John Bolton, even as officials at the State Department argued it could move the parties closer to an agreement, officials said.
Bolton had an ally in Vice President Mike Pence, who also made the case against a meeting at Camp David, a location Trump suggested, officials said. Bolton and Pence were in Warsaw together around the time of the internal discussions.
Using the presidential retreat in Maryland to host the meeting was floated by Trump after he warmed to the idea of a sit-down in Washington, the officials and people familiar with the matter said.
Bolton’s office declined to comment. Pence’s office and a spokesperson for the president did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
I know this report is based on unnamed sources, but it isn’t hard to believe at all. Trump negotiating with the Taliban for peace? C’mon.
We always criticized Obama for trying to negotiate peace with a terrorist organization and I see no difference here. What makes this worse is that Trump was actually going to invite the Taliban on US soil? And just days before 9/11?
I’m glad Trump cancelled this meeting, but he never should have entertained the idea in the first place. He should listen to Bolton and Pence!