Defense Secretary Rejects Idea of Privatizing Forces in Afghanistan

Defense Secretary James Mattis has rejected an idea proposed by contractor Erik Prince to privatize the military effort in Afghanistan, saying, "When Americans put their country's reputation on the line, privatizing it is probably not a wise idea." The secretary made the comments in response to a question on the continued U.S. presence in the country 18 years after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Secretary Mattis defended the U.S. role and said the Taliban must come to the negotiating table if the conflict there is to end. The Taliban must recognize that they can't win on the battle field. They must negotiate," he said. close