But reports reflecting the realities in Afghanistan imply that the new US commander, Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., has successfully argued that a longer-term USA commitment will be required.
Advertisement
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation leaders are also set to turn their attention to the alliance’s southern flank and neighbouring regions, particularly in the face of the threat posed by the so-called Islamic State and the need to assist the International Anti-Terrorist Coalition.
President Obama on Wednesday shelved plans to cut the US force in Afghanistan almost in half by year’s end, opting to keep 8,400 troops there through the end of his presidency in January and let his successor determine the path forward. However, he announced on July 6 that the process will draw down and the U.S. would keep 8,400 United States troops in Afghanistan.
A senior USA official said, on condition of anonymity, that the allies had made pledges that put them at over 90 percent of the funding levels agreed to at a 2012 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Chicago.
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation says it is “ready to stay” in Afghanistan, reiterating a pledge on funding for local security forces.
President Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on a pledge to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been unable to do so given the fragile security situations in both countries. Others are part of a “train, advise and assist” mission geared toward helping Afghan security forces better defend their country. Afghanistan’s almost 320,000 troops and police officers have struggled to control the Taliban after 14 years of war. Nicholson said the in-fighting was a shared concern between the US and Pakistani governments.
More than 2,000 American troops in Afghanistan belong to a counterterrorism mission called “Freedom’s Sentinel”, rooting out al-Qaida and Islamic State extremists.
“There’s no reason to speculate exactly on how long it will continue”, he said, adding that North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member states would examine the situation again next year. Instead, he has been forced to return US troops to Iraq and keep thousands in place in Afghanistan, now America’s longest-running war.
Gen. Votel’s arrival here also coincides with the beginning of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Warsaw in which Mr. Obama and his top cabinet officials will press allies to maintain or even increase their troop contributions to the mission in Afghanistan.
About 6,700 of these American soldiers will work under the Resolute Support banner – with the rest conducting counter-terrorism operations. “What did we need to accomplish. what would give the greatest chance of success to the Afghan security forces?”
Advertisement
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the decision as showing “continued partnership” in pursuing common interests.
