Trump Admin Preparing to Announce Withdrawal of 4,000 Troops From Afghanistan

US Department of Defense

The Trump administration is preparing to announce the removal of 4,000 troops from Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been the site of America’s longest war.

According to NBC News:

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration intends to announce the drawdown of about 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as early next week, according to three current and former U.S. officials. The withdrawal will leave between 8,000 and 9,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the officials said.

The announcement would come just days after Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad rejoined diplomatic talks with the Taliban, which had broken down in September. On Thursday, Ambassador Khalilzad said the U.S. was “taking a brief pause” in talks after a Wednesday attack near Bagram Airfield killed two Afghan civilians and wounded 70 more.

The U.S. has between 12,000 and 13,000 troops in Afghanistan now. The officials would not say when the drawdown would begin, but did characterize it as a phased withdrawal that would occur over a few months. Two U.S. officials said the drawdown would be a combination of troops re-deploying early and others not being replaced when they rotate out.

In a statement, a spokesman for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan said, “U.S. Forces-Afghanistan has not received orders to reduce troop levels in Afghanistan. We remain fully committed to the Resolute Support mission and our Afghan partners, and focused on our key objective: ensuring Afghanistan is never again used as a safe haven for terrorists who threaten the United States, our allies or our interests.”

President Trump has pushed for a withdrawal from Afghanistan for a while but this news comes as recent reports have indicated that the government has lied continuously to the American people about the situation in Afghanistan.

Advertisement
SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Lea
Lea
4 years ago

It sounds like a great idea, however, it doesn’t appear as though the WH and the powers overseas want us to leave, worrying more about the partners with the U.S., rather than what our President’s intentions are. For myself, that’s a bit difficult to understand, WHY those overseas are looking to ‘never leave.’
There are also the issues of the Guarding the of Poppy Fields. More drugs must come into our country, Via the CIA and Military planes? Are we not attempting to ‘fight a drug war’ that’s impossible to win? Is it always about helping other nations, instead of our own? Why are OUR Military leaders wanting to stay there so long? Leaving our troops there would be absolute insanity. Let’s hope these Generals change their minds, and FIX their Attitudes.

1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x