Fox News contributor and “Outnumbered” panelist Charlie Hurt praised President Trump Monday after the U.S. signed a peace deal with the Taliban over the weekend, claiming it fulfilled a years-long effort by American voters to end the war with Afghanistan.
“This is a big deal without a doubt,” Hurt said. “The last three [presidential] elections have been won on a promise to end this war.”
US SIGNS HISTORIC PEACE DEAL WITH TALIBAN, POMPEO STRIKES CAUTIOUS TONE
The agreement is aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
As part of the agreement, the U.S. is drawing back a number of the approximately 13,000 troops stationed there, although more than 8,000 will remain to ensure certain counter-terrorism conditions are met by the Taliban.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday that the U.S. will hold the Taliban and Afghan national security forces to their commitments to reduce the level of violence and predicted a “rocky and bumpy” path ahead.
“There is no doubt that if we do pull out half of our troops by election day and then more after that, it’s going to be ugly,” Hurt said. “It’s ugly now. The difference is it’ll still be a problem at some degree — I pray that it’ll be less of a problem as you get the different parties involved in trying to actually govern a fairly ungovernable country.”
Hurt continued, “But it will be less our problem.”
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The Washington Times opinion editor added that the “real problem” is when the president has to call a family to inform them that their relative has died while at war and cannot explain the cause of the death.
“This is what the American people have voted for in the last three elections and my hat’s off to the president on his effort to make good on that promise,” Hurt said.
Fox News Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
