Business Corpus: Trump Backs Soviet Afghan War After Mattis Says 'Hold Fast' Against U.S. FoesPresident Trump dumped on James Mattis' service as his secretary of defense and endorsed the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The post Trump Backs Soviet Afghan War After Mattis Says 'Hold Fast' Against U.S. Foes appeared first on Investor's Business Daily.

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President Donald Trump dumped on James Mattis' service as his secretary of defense and endorsed the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

At a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, Trump said he "essentially" fired Mattis, who announced his resignation last month and alluded to disagreements with Trump over the treatment of U.S. allies and adversaries.

"What's he done for me?" Trump said. "How had he done in Afghanistan? Not too good."

When asked separately about U.S. policy in Afghanistan, Trump said that the U.S. has been talking to the Taliban and noted regional players like India, Pakistan and Russia who also have a stake in Afghan peace talks.

In the process, he endorsed the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, incorrectly citing counterterrorism while also pointing out the heavy cost of the war.

"The reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia," he said. "They were right to be there. The problem is, it was a tough fight. And literally, they went bankrupt."

On Monday, Mattis released a farewell letter to Defense Department employees, saying that the Pentagon "remains in the best possible hands." Just before midnight on New Year's Eve, then Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan assumed the role of acting secretary of defense.

"Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult," Mattis wrote Monday. "So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes."

Among defense and aerospace stocks, Boeing (BA) stock rose 0.4% on the stock market today. Lockheed Martin (LMT) added 1.1%, Northrop Grumman (NOC) gained 0.6%, Raytheon (RTN) advanced 0.5% and General Dynamics (GD) was flat.

James Mattis Leaves Work For New Secretary of Defense

Mattis was largely seen as a stabilizing figure in the Trump administration and a strong advocate for a bigger defense budget.

But the final straw for Mattis was Trump's call for an abrupt departure from Syria, which Mattis believed would allow the Islamic State terrorist group to grow.

Mattis announced his resignation as secretary of defense on Dec. 20 but wanted to stay until February to ensure a smooth transition. Instead, Trump forced him out early, leaving unanswered key questions on the defense budget, Space Force and the delivery of key platforms.

Boeing had hoped to deliver the first KC-46 tanker to the Air Force by the end of the year, but Mattis didn't take action on the plane before leaving and the Pentagon appears unwilling to accept it while technical deficiencies remain.

Shanahan was previously a top Boeing executive and has recused himself from decisions related to the company. The decision likely falls to Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord.

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The post Trump Backs Soviet Afghan War After Mattis Says 'Hold Fast' Against U.S. Foes appeared first on Investor's Business Daily.