President Donald Trump's new South Asia Policy has brought in certainty, ending an era of uncertainty in the region, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told lawmakers today.
In his new South Asia Policy unveiled in August last, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it did not cooperates the US in its fight against terrorism. He had also called for a greater role for India in Afghanistan.
"In South Asia and Afghanistan, uncertainty in the region has been replaced by the certainty of President Trump's South Asia Strategy," Mattis said in his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.
Concurrently in the Middle East, US has dramatically reduced ISIS' physical caliphate, using a coordinated, whole-of-government approach that works "by, with, and through" its allies and partners to crush ISIS' claim of invincibility and deny them a geographic haven from which to plot murder, he said.
"The budget request supports US forces in Afghanistan as part of the Administration's South Asia Strategy; continues operations to prevent the resurgence of ISIS; and continues our security partnership with Iraqi Security Forces to support Iraq's long-term stability and independence," Mattis said.
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