Page 9 - HOSPITAAL

A3
U.S. NEWS Monday 31 deceMber 2018

Former Afghanistan commander warns of plans to cut troops

By KEVIN FREKING Pentagon to develop plans on date certain, cutting people will lose confidence He also was critical of Presi-
Associated Press to withdraw thousands of down, weakening our- in the U.S. as an ally that dent Donald Trump person-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American troops by next selves, their incentives to try can be counted on. ally, saying he doesn't be-
former top U.S. command- summer. Outgoing Defense to cut a deal drop dramati- "I think we probably rocked lieve Trump tells the truth.
er in Afghanistan said Sun- Secretary Jim Mattis men- cally," McChrystal said on them," said McChrystal, The comment came when
day that withdrawing up to tioned the order in his res- ABC's "This Week." who commanded U.S. and asked what he would say
half the 14,000 American ignation letter. Mattis' last McChrystal also said he's NATO forces in Afghanistan if he were asked to join the
worried that the Afghan for about a year. Trump administration.q

In this March 11, 2013, file photo retired U.S. Army Gen. Stanley
McChrystal speaks during a forum called "Ask What You Can Do
For America's Veterans" at the John F. Kennedy School of Gov-
ernment at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.
Associated Press

troops serving there would day in the administration is
reduce the incentive for Monday.
the Taliban to negotiate The U.S. and NATO formally
a peace deal after more concluded their combat
than 17 years of war. mission in 2014, but Ameri-
Retired Gen. Stanley can and allied troops re-
McChrystal said the U.S. has main, conducting strikes on
"basically traded away the the Islamic State group and
biggest leverage point we the Taliban and working to
have." McChrystal's com- train and build the Afghan
ments were in response to military.
reports that President Don- "If you tell the Taliban that
ald Trump had ordered the we are absolutely leaving