President Obama announced Wednesday a 14 percent drawdown of us forces in Afghanistan, telling reporters that about 8,400 American troops will remain in the country at the year’s end – a higher number than the 5,500 he had hoped to have in Afghanistan by the end of his presidency.
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“So long as the Taliban has sanctuaries in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, and so long as economic malaise, rampant corruption, and violent militias make life so miserable for ordinary Afghans that some view the Taliban as a better alternative to the government, then war will continue – no matter how many USA troops remain”, wrote Kugelman in an article for The Wall Street Journal.
President Obama, flanked by Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, delivers a statement Wednesday at the White House on the deployment of USA troops in Afghanistan.
According to recent United Nations estimates, the Taliban now controls more territory in Afghanistan than at any other time since the U.S.-led invasion following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Montana Veterans say maintaining military presence in Afghanistan is vital to our safety here in America.
“That we give our Afghan partners the best opportunities to succeed”, he added.
“Now what we will do is we will engage and discuss with Congress about how to ensure that we’re providing the necessary support for the mission”, the official said.
Though Obama had initially announced intentions to get the last of the troops out in 2016, he had already revised that back in October, saying he meant to leave about 5,500 troops there.
President Obama said his decision to leave 8,400 troops is the appropriate course of action to protect national security.
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, said Mr. Obama made a big mistake when he pulled all USA troops out of Iraq in 2011, and he should not repeat that mistake in Afghanistan.
Thornberry demanded that the White House immediately submit a supplemental funding request to accommodate the new planned troop levels.
Obama announced today that there will be a slower draw-down of US troops in Afghanistan, leaving 8,400 there when his term is over.
He said only a peace deal would bring lasting stability to Afghanistan. The decision leaves an important policy decision to Obama’s successor, who will take office January 20.
The United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation officially ended combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, reducing their mandate to training, advising and assisting Afghan security forces.
Former President George W. Bush, just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, said the US would “pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism”, which led to the war in Afghanistan.
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Counter-terrorism missions will target al-Qaida, the Islamic State and other known groups deemed as terrorist organizations in the region.
