Was Trump's visit to Afghanistan just another distraction? Do we believe that he "restarted negotiations"?

If it’s just another distraction, then you have already fallen for it. And in asking this question, you have invited all of us to fall for it as well.

But there are always backchannels, which means there are always ongoing negotiations. It’s just that some are less official than others, and most will go nowhere. Progress reports are all politics until an actual agreement is announced. This is true no matter who the president is.

Just a cheap ploy at tax payer’s expense to promote himself for the next election.

He’s trying to find out how long it takes to get to a country that doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the USA.

Really it is just a distraction.

I imagine his strategy is simple. China knows he needs a deal with them to enhance the possibility of being reelected, and therefore has the upper hand. However, by appearing to make a deal with the Taliban—claiming an end of the 18-year war and his intention to bring the troops home—will enhance his standing with his followers likely ensuring reelection, and therefore improving his negotiating leverage with China.

Just wait for it, the story will be changing sometime today

That will go the same way as his “deal” with Kim.

The trip was merely to show the troops that they hadn’t been forgotten. It was worth it for that reason alone. There was no need to go over there to restart negotiations, he could have done that from Washington. It’s important to note that being open to negotiations doesn’t mean anything will happen, it only means we’ll listen. I understand that you all hate everything he does but this seems like a pretty trivial point on which to criticize.

@Tropical_Willie, I disagree with you, but I found the extradition comment amusing. I thought the attempt at humor deserved a GA.

Much like my ex, he’s lied to me so many times that I don’t believe a word he says!!!

Asking ‘how much do we believe’ is a question with no answer. You may ask how much each of us believes individually, otherwise, I’ve simply no answer for you.

Even if negotiations were restarted with the Taliban what is the end result? They are, you know, the enemy.

I know Trump falls for stuff but what is the point? They will just Paris us if any sort of deal is done and we will look like chumps.

Just pull out and and deal with the situation later when a grown up is behind the wheel.

@johnpowell POTUS’s are funny that way. al-Qaida was the enemy as well but that didn’t stop Obama from arming and training them to help with the civil war against Syria. That only ended up with a group of them breaking off and forming ISIS. So which grown up did you have in mind? I don’t see any better options vying for the position at this point.

We’ve heard no more bragging, so I’d say it was all hot air to distract from the impeachment hearings