washington since take office u.s. president donald trump show affinity perhaps even deference general surround cabinet white house save one exception war afghanistan dozen interview current former u.s. officials familiar discussions reveal president deeply frustrate lack options win 16-year-old war describe internally erode stalemate debate carry echo dilemma barack obama face 2009. odds trump ultimately send troop current former officials say least bad option one former u.s. official familiar discussions say speak condition anonymity acknowledge trump pullout completely rule trump defense secretary retire marine corps general jim mattis authority nearly two months add thousands troop roughly 8,400 peak 100,000 2011 army general john nicholson commander u.s. force afghanistan request troop back february officials say mattis use authority buy-in trump strategic vision america long war beyond troop afghanistan strategy would aim address militant safe havens across border pakistan become divisive issue several members trump inner circle split hard press islamabad source say discussions include high-level white house meet thursday could drag rest summer blow past mid-july deadline present war strategy increasingly impatient congress thursday meet chair vice president mike pence people familiar deliberations tell reuters final decision appear imminent pentagon officials decline comment internal deliberations white house also decline comment ahead decision strategy u.s.-backed fighters roll back islamic state iraq syria say fight taliban insurgency afghanistan u.s. intelligence agencies assess condition afghanistan almost certainly deteriorate next year even modest increase military assistance america ally july 19 meet white house situation room trump say mattis marine general joseph dunford chairman joint chiefs staff might want consider fire nicholson pick obama 2016 lead war effort earn respect afghan leaders win trump tell accord account conversation current former officials say frustration mount months least far back february one former u.s. official say internal deliberations afghanistan aim create broad set options trump shortly mcmaster due present plan trump approval ahead may nato summit secretary state rex tillerson decline endorse say trump present options former official another current official say lack options mean recommendation originally put forward president essentially status quo former official say discount troop increase serious shift strategy months since possibility full pull-out repeatedly present refine along true status-quo option new troop send afghanistan none pull either still u.s. defense leaders believe favor options david sedney former pentagon policy advisor obama administration say failure prioritize afghanistan could replicate mistake previous u.s. presidents ambivalent afghanistan last 17 years ambivalent policy fail say sedney center strategic international study think-tank washington mcmaster mattis tillerson dunford nicholson u.s. intelligence officials argue refuse commit u.s. force train equip case support afghan security force would eventually result taliban retake country u.s.-backed government kabul trump concern afghanistan share senior officials close president include chief strategist steve bannon officials say skeptical need increase troop afghanistan divisions also emerge within trump administration much pressure pakistan quickly order address militant safe havens blame help prolong afghanistan war nicholson mcmaster lisa curtis senior director south central asia national security council favor take strong hand pakistan deal taliban militants use country base plot attack afghanistan current former officials say side state department officials others pentagon include dunford take broad view pakistan strategic importance less convince harsh action secure cooperation islamabad say pakistan fiercely deny allow militant safe havens territory trump administration explore new approach toward pakistan reuters report potential responses discussion include expand u.s. drone strike redirect aid pakistan perhaps eventually downgrade pakistan status major non-nato ally afghan review trump 's frustration carry echo obama years