Trump's dream of retaking Bagram might end up looking like an Afghan re-invasion, sources say

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Trump's dream of retaking Bagram might end up looking like an Afghan re-invasion, sources say

Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali
Thu, September 18, 2025 at 5:33 PM EDT
4 min read

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's goal of re-occupying Bagram air base in Afghanistan might end up looking like a re-invasion of the country, requiring more than 10,000 troops as well as deployment of advanced air defenses, current and former U.S. officials say.

Trump, speaking to reporters on Thursday during a trip to London, said "we want that base back" and cited what he called its strategic location near China.

"It's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons," Trump said.

The sprawling airfield was the main base for American forces in Afghanistan during the two decades of war that followed the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington by al Qaeda.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trumps-dream-retaking-bagram-might-213304273.html

[chowmama]

1. How is it not an Afghan re-invasion?

It's their country. It's not ours. We have no inherent right to any of their territory, and it was Trump who arranged the timeline by which we had to leave, forcing Biden to either break the agreement or rush the exit. The rushed exit was Trump's fault and Biden would have been blamed no matter what he did.

Dementia Don and his handlers know that they won't be able to negotiate this with the Taliban, which is the Afghan government for all intents and purposes. This is just another possible location to start the war that they want so they can finish the US takeover.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. MaddowBlog-Trump, eyeing return to Afghanistan, says U.S. is 'trying to get' back Bagram Airbase

The president says he wants to reclaim a former U.S. base in Afghanistan. The Taliban apparently has different ideas.

As Trump talks about reclaiming a former U.S. base in Afghanistan, spare a thought for the voters who convinced themselves that Trump was the candidate of foreign policy restraint and isolationism.

Those voters did not choose wisely. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-09-19T12:54:08.215Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-eyeing-return-afghanistan-says-us-trying-get-back-bagram-airbase-rcna232372

Around this time four years ago, as Donald Trump watched in frustration as Joe Biden ended the war in Afghanistan — a goal the Republican had wanted to complete, but didn’t — the then-former president suggested it might be a good idea to send U.S. troops back into the country......

Years later, Trump is back in the White House, and he’s still talking about going back into Afghanistan. NBC News reported:

Trump said that the U.S. was ‘trying’ to get back Bagram Airbase, a former U.S. military base in Afghanistan. He did not provide details or what it would mean for U.S. troops, who left Afghanistan in 2021 during a widely criticized withdrawal.

Speaking to reporters at an event in England, Trump said of Bagram, “We’re trying to get it back, by the way. OK, that could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back, because they need things from us. We want that base back.”

He didn’t appear to be kidding.

Trump: Bagram, one of the biggest air bases, we gave to them for nothing. We are trying to get it back, that could be breaking news. They need things from us.

— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2025-09-18T18:55:57.993Z

The Taliban, for what it’s worth, made clear soon after that it’s not willing to return the base to American control, and it’s difficult to imagine the White House changing Taliban leaders’ minds.

.....Five years later, however, Trump has launched deadly military strikes on civilian boats in international waters. And launched preemptive military strikes on targets in Iran. And initiated a bombing campaign in Yemen. And announced his desire to annex Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal and the Gaza Strip. And directed the Pentagon to target drug cartels in Mexico.

And is now once again focusing on Afghanistan.

If you voted for Trump because you expected restraint on foreign policy and the use of military force abroad, I have some awful news for you.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. The Taliban government has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's call to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

The Taliban government has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan

The Taliban reject Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-bagram-trump-airbase-122225b702aa6b788c3a9836add60db1?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

— Natalie Davis (@nataliedavis.journa.host.ap.brid.gy) 2025-09-21T15:04:12.000Z

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/taliban-reject-trumps-bid-retake-bagram-air-base-125780496

JALALABAD, Afghanistan -- The Taliban government on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban's hands.

Trump on Saturday renewed his call to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram, even saying “we’re talking now to Afghanistan” about the matter. He did not offer further details about the purported conversations. Asked by a reporter if he’d consider deploying U.S. troops to take the base, Trump demurred.

“We won’t talk about that,” Trump said. “We want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”

On Sunday, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Trump’s assertions and urged the U.S. to adopt a policy of “realism and rationality.”