MEDAL: Demanding details on Afghanistan strategy

Sen. John McCain can be a cantankerous thorn in the side of military leaders.

But he’s also often right about important things, like his recent questions about the Trump administration’s vague Afghanistan strategy.

McCain said he is using his authority as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee to block nominations for top Pentagon jobs until he gets more information.

In an August speech, President Trump said he had decided not to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Instead, the U.S. would deploy an undisclosed number of additional forces in an effort to “win.” But neither Trump nor top Pentagon officials have offered many details on how this new “strategy” differs from the former one under then-President Barack Obama.

McCain told top Pentagon officials, “We will not accept a lack of information, a lack of strategy.”

He’s right. The troops deploying to Afghanistan and the American people who support them deserve a clearer vision for America’s longest war.

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