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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 18 november 2020

Pentagon to cut troop levels to 2,500 in Iraq, Afghanistan

By ROBERT BURNS and policy is not new," O'Brien
LOLITA C. BALDOR said. "This has been the
Associated Press president's policy since he
WASHINGTON (AP) — Act- took office."
ing Defense Secretary Trump has said, however,
Christopher Miller said that his decisions about U.S.
Tuesday the U.S. will re- troop levels in Afghanistan
duce troop levels in Iraq would be based on condi-
and Afghanistan by mid- tions on the ground, not on
January, asserting that the the calendar.
decision fulfills President He has accused his prede-
Donald Trump's pledge to cessor, Barack Obama, of
bring forces home from setting a timetable for troop
America's long wars even withdrawals in Iraq and
as Republicans and U.S. al- Afghanistan that worked
lies warn of the dangers of against the achievement
withdrawing before condi- of military goals. Now,
tions are right. however, Trump is openly
The plan will accelerate declaring a timetable for
troop withdrawals from Iraq troop reductions in both
and Afghanistan in Trump's countries, even as violence
final days in office, despite remains high in Afghani-
arguments from senior mili- stan.
tary officials in favor of a In this Sept. 24, 2020, file photo, then-National Counterterrorism Center Director Christopher Miller The accelerated with-
slower, more methodical testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on drawal goes against the
Capitol Hill in Washington.
pullout to preserve hard- Associated Press longstanding advice of
fought gains. Trump has Trump's military leader-
refused to concede his ship, including Marine Gen.
election loss to Democrat deteriorate. reductions of American warned that NATO could Frank McKenzie, top U.S.
Joe Biden, who takes office "If the forces of terror, in- troops from terrorist areas pay a heavy price for leav- commander for the Middle
Jan. 20, just five days after stability, division and hate are a mistake," said Rep. ing Afghanistan too early. East. But officials suggested
the troop withdrawals are begin a deliberate cam- Mac Thornberry of Texas, NATO has fewer than that commanders will be
to finish. paign to disrupt our efforts, who is the ranking Repub- 12,000 troops from dozens able to live with the partial
Miller, who refused to take we stand ready to apply lican on the House Armed of nations helping to train pullout, which allows them
questions from reporters the capabilities required to Services Committee. and advise the Afghan na- to keep counterterrorism
after reading a prepared thwart them," he said in a He said the Taliban, whose tional security forces. troops in Afghanistan and
statement before TV cam- roughly eight-minute state- hold on power in Kabul was The 30-nation alliance relies gives them time to remove
eras at the Pentagon, said ment — his first extended destroyed when U.S. troops heavily on the United States critical equipment.
the U.S. will reduce troop public remarks since taking invaded the country in Oc- armed forces for transport, McKenzie and others have
levels in Afghanistan from office. tober 2001, have "done logistics and other support. repeatedly argued that
more than 4,500 to 2,500, The withdrawal plan falls nothing — met no condi- "We now face a difficult a hasty withdrawal could
and in Iraq from about short of Trump's oft-re- tion — that would justify this decision. We have been undercut negotiations to
3,000 to 2,500. peated vow to end Amer- cut." in Afghanistan for almost finalize ongoing peace ne-
Speaking a week after tak- ica's long wars. It also runs Rep. Adam Smith, a Wash- 20 years, and no NATO ally gotiations between the Tal-
ing over for former Defense counter to his guidance ington Democrat and wants to stay any longer iban and representatives of
Secretary Mark Esper, who that troop withdrawals be chairman of the House than necessary. Afghan society, including
was fired by Trump, Miller based on the conditions on Armed Services Commit- But at the same time, the the Afghan government.
notably did not say that the ground, not a date on tee, endorsed the Trump price for leaving too soon And they also warn that
the drawdown plan had the calendar. decision. or in an uncoordinated U.S. forces should remain in
been recommended or In Afghanistan, in particular, "Our primary goal has been, way could be very high," the country to keep Islamic
endorsed by Gen. Mark Mil- military and defense lead- and continues to be, the Stoltenberg said in a state- State militants in check.
ley, chairman of the Joint ers have consistently said prevention of transnational ment. Biden has sounded less
Chiefs of Staff, or by other the Taliban has not yet met terrorists from launching an Trump's national security absolute about troop with-
senior military officers. He requirements to reduce attack against the United adviser Robert O'Brien said drawal. He has said some
said only that military com- violent attacks against Af- States from Afghanistan," the president is keeping his troops could stay in Af-
manders had agreed to ghan government forces. Smith said. promise to the American ghanistan to focus on the
execute it. Some have worried that "In order to contain the people to get U.S. troops counterterrorism mission.
Miller said the U.S. remains too-fast troop reductions terrorist threat as we draw out of war zones. "By May, In response to a question-
ready to respond if condi- would strengthen the ne- down our troop levels, it is it is President Trump's hope naire before the election,
tions in Afghanistan or Iraq gotiating hand of the Tal- critical that we coordinate that they will all come he said: "Americans are
iban and weaken the po- the drawdown closely with home safely and in their en- rightly weary of our longest
sition of an already-weak our allies, as well as our tirety," O'Brien told reporters war; I am, too. But we must
Afghan government. partners in the Afghan gov- at the White House shortly end the war responsibly, in
The decision has already ernment, to protect our in- after Miller made the an- a manner that ensures we
received a cool recep- terests and those of our al- nouncement at the Penta- both guard against threats
tion from some Republican lies in Afghanistan." gon. to our homeland and nev-
leaders on Capitol Hill, and Stoltenberg earlier Tuesday "I want to reiterate that this er have to go back."q
a somewhat uncharacter-
istically blunt critique from
NATO Secretary-General
Jens Stoltenberg. linda.reijnders@cspnv.com
"I believe these additional