webfact Posted December 2, 2020 Share Posted December 2, 2020 U.S. military to keep two larger Afghan bases after drawdown to 2,500 By Phil Stewart FILE PHOTO: U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley gives remarks during the 19th annual September 11 observance ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., September 11, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon has approved drawdown plans in Afghanistan that will still keep two larger bases in the country as officials carry out President Donald Trump's orders to slash troop levels to 2,500 by Jan. 15, the top U.S. general said on Wednesday. Trump's post-election decision last month to cut nearly half of the roughly 4,500 troops currently in Afghanistan came before military leaders could devise plans to execute a drawdown, leaving many questions unanswered about the future U.S. military mission after Trump leaves office on Jan. 20. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered the first details about the drawdown at an event hosted by the Brookings Institution think tank. He said that in addition to the two larger bases, the United States would also keep "several satellite bases." He said the U.S. military will also continue its two core missions: aiding Afghan security forces who are locked in a grinding conflict with Taliban insurgents and carrying out counterterrorism operations against Islamic State and al Qaeda militants. However, Milley did not disclose which bases in Afghanistan would be shuttered or say what capabilities would be lost as the United States removes 2,000 troops from the country. He declined to speculate about what President-elect Joe Biden may decide. "What comes after that, that will be up to a new administration," Milley said. As the United States prepares to withdraw more troops, the U.S.-backed Afghan government and Taliban representatives reached a preliminary deal on Wednesday to press on with peace talks. It was their first written agreement in 19 years of war that Milley said has long been stalemated, with neither side able to defeat the other on the battlefield. Looking back, Milley said the United States had "achieved a modicum of success" in Afghanistan. He stressed the importance of peace talks, even as he acknowledged that the idea of sitting down with Taliban representatives was "odious" to some people. "But that is in fact the most common way that insurgencies end, is through a power-sharing negotiated settlement," he said. The Taliban were ousted from power in 2001 by U.S.-led forces for refusing to hand over al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, the architect of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. A U.S.-backed government has held power in Afghanistan since then, although the Taliban have control over wide areas of the country. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Jonathan Oatis) -- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-03 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 1Gringo Posted December 3, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 3, 2020 I'm all for ending endless wars. I'm all for removing troops from Afghanistan. I just wish we had a CiC who was smart enough to do the job correctly. we should after January 20th. 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mrfill Posted December 3, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 3, 2020 4 hours ago, 1Gringo said: I'm all for ending endless wars. I'm all for removing troops from Afghanistan. I just wish we had a CiC who was smart enough to do the job correctly. we should after January 20th. Endless wars are good for the economy of those supplying the weapons. And therein lies the problem. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Psimbo Posted December 3, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted December 3, 2020 5 hours ago, 1Gringo said: I'm all for ending endless wars. I'm all for removing troops from Afghanistan. I just wish we had a CiC who was smart enough to do the job correctly. we should after January 20th. Just walk away and leave a vacuum like Iraq then- that went well didn't it? Nearly 20 years on the country is far worse off than it was under Saddam but at least they got 'democracy' didn't they? Most Iraqis I talked to in 2011 wished Saddam was still there- at least they had water, electricity and education. Talk to afghans and Iraqis- they hardly feel liberated- they consider themselves occupied. I was still serving in the military in 2001 and fully supported the initial actions in Afghanistan- if the focus had been maintained as opposed to Rumsfeld and Cheney's ill-founded folly (well- blatant lies about the threat to be honest) into Iraq Afghanistan probably would be stable by now. AQ and the Taliban were on that back foot and another 6-12 months would have quashed them. 18 years of nation building could have taken place and the world would probably be safer than the state we are in today. Instead Afghan military and civilian casualties are higher than ever. There is a toxic attitude towards Westerners in Afghan- they farkin hate us. Just a bunch of ragheads to some though so I guess its OK to mess up their countries and walk away. Remember the people who least want to go to war are the poor sods on the ground who have to fight. Countless US and NATO lives have been lost with sod all to show for it after nearly 20 years. MAGA rules though (my backside). 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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