Let's take a look at US involvement in Afghanistan. US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis announced in September that the US will send more than 3,000 troops to Afghanistan in an effort to win America's 16-year war there. It's a reversal of former President Obama's policy and President Trump's own views on the war. Trump had originally promised to minimize America's involvement abroad. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei sheds more light on the two administrations' differing attitudes towards the South Asian nation.

 

The White House has had an evolving policy on Afghanistan. Now President Trump is looking to completely wipe-out the legacies of his predecessors, as the US opens a door to a modest increase in its troop numbers in Afghanistan.

 

DONALD TRUMP US PRESIDENT "America will continue its support for the Afghan government and the Afghan military as they confront the Taliban in the field."

 

8,400 is the current number of US soldiers serving in the South Asian nation, with the US role in Afghanistan having shifted in the past 16 years. It started as efforts to fight terrorists responsible for the 9-11 attack, but evolved into a peacekeeping mission for the country's shaky democracy.

 

Trump's newest decision is a reversal of what Barack Obama set in motion, withdrawing troops from the embattled country.

 

BARACK OBAMA FORMER US PRESIDENT "We will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year. And we will bring home a total of 33,000 troops to home by next summer."

 

During the 10 year anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama sent out a message, saying that the war should be ended. Obama's policy was originally praised by Trump, who tweeted - "When will we stop wasting our money on rebuilding Afghanistan? We must rebuild our country first."

 

Critics now say that the US president's "America First" policy was the biggest loser after his recent reversal on Afghanistan. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN.