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Obama to leave 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, senior official says Obama to leave 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan
(about 1 hour later)
President Obama has decided to leave 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan for one year beyond the withdrawal of combat forces in December, according to a senior administration official. The United States will leave 9,800 troops in Afghanistan after the final withdrawal of U.S. combat forces in December, and will gradually reduce that number to zero by the end of 2016, President Obama announced Tuesday.
The troops will include both forces to train and advise Afghanistan’s military and a separate group of Special Operations forces to continue counterterrorism missions against what the official called “the remnants of al-Qaeda.” The residual force will include both troops to train and advise the country’s military and a separate group of Special Operations forces to continue counterterrorism missions against what Obama called “the remnants of al-Qaeda.”
The decision, to be formally announced Tuesday afternoon by Obama, is contingent upon Afghanistan’s new president signing a bilateral security agreement that current President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign. The two candidates in a runoff election scheduled for June 14 have both said they will sign the accord. The decision is contingent upon Afghanistan’s new president signing a bilateral security agreement that current President Hamid Karzai has refused to sign. The two candidates in a runoff election scheduled for June 14 have both said they will sign the accord.
“It’s time to turn the page on more than a decade in which so much of our foreign policy was focused on ... wars in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Obama said in brief remarks in the Rose Garden.
Officials said the long-awaited decision came after Obama became convinced that Afghanistan’s security forces, which took the lead on security operations there last year, were on their way to self-sufficiency, and the country is on the verge of its first-ever democratic transition of power.
“It’s a moment of some momentum in Afghanistan,” said an official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity in advance of Obama’s announcement. “We believe that with this announcement, we can...encourage that positive trajectory.”
Obama is scheduled to make a major counterterrorism and foreign policy address on Wednesday, which officials said would broaden the specifics of Afghanistan to reflect the current threat from terrorist groups that spans from South Asia across North Africa and the Sahel region.
The 9,800 troops will be based at various locations in Afghanistan until the end of 2015, after which the force will be reduced by roughly half and consolidated in Kabul and at the Bagram airfield north of the capital.The 9,800 troops will be based at various locations in Afghanistan until the end of 2015, after which the force will be reduced by roughly half and consolidated in Kabul and at the Bagram airfield north of the capital.
At the end of 2016, most of those remaining troops will be withdrawn and the U.S. military presence will be confined to a defense group at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity before the announcement. At the end of 2016, most of those remaining troops will be withdrawn and the U.S. military presence will be confined to a defense group at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, said the official.
The decision is close to the recommendation of Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the commander of U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan, who had asked for 10,000 to 12,000 troops.The decision is close to the recommendation of Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the commander of U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan, who had asked for 10,000 to 12,000 troops.
Some of Obama’s national security advisers had proposed eliminating a residual U.S. force altogether when the final combat troops are withdrawn.Some of Obama’s national security advisers had proposed eliminating a residual U.S. force altogether when the final combat troops are withdrawn.
The United States has about 32,800 troops in Afghanistan. Although both the Pentagon and the State Department have been pressing the White House for a post-2014 decision since late last year, Dunford has internally set September as a final decision deadline. As the drawdown continues over the summer, he plans to reconfigure the current force so that those remaining at the end of the year will fit the training and counterterrorism mission Obama plans to outline.The United States has about 32,800 troops in Afghanistan. Although both the Pentagon and the State Department have been pressing the White House for a post-2014 decision since late last year, Dunford has internally set September as a final decision deadline. As the drawdown continues over the summer, he plans to reconfigure the current force so that those remaining at the end of the year will fit the training and counterterrorism mission Obama plans to outline.
Several NATO and non-NATO countries with troops in Afghanistan have said they will leave modest contingents behind for training if the United States decided to do so. Most prominently, Germany is expected to continue operating a base in Mazar-e-Sharif, in the north, and Italy will likely retain its base in Herat, in the west.Several NATO and non-NATO countries with troops in Afghanistan have said they will leave modest contingents behind for training if the United States decided to do so. Most prominently, Germany is expected to continue operating a base in Mazar-e-Sharif, in the north, and Italy will likely retain its base in Herat, in the west.
During 2015, Obama’s plan will permit U.S. personnel to travel around the country from bases in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, in addition to Kabul and Bagram. Additional forces would perhaps be based in Jalalabad, near the Pakistan border.During 2015, Obama’s plan will permit U.S. personnel to travel around the country from bases in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, in addition to Kabul and Bagram. Additional forces would perhaps be based in Jalalabad, near the Pakistan border.
The relatively robust U.S. presence, and a specific commitment to counterterrorism operations, will leave open the possibility of continuing drone strikes on al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan. There have been no strikes in Pakistan since December, when the administration reached an agreement with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to greatly reduce the attacks.The relatively robust U.S. presence, and a specific commitment to counterterrorism operations, will leave open the possibility of continuing drone strikes on al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan. There have been no strikes in Pakistan since December, when the administration reached an agreement with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to greatly reduce the attacks.
The U.S., German and Italian presence in Afghanistan will also allow other U.S. personnel, including from the State Department and the CIA, to remain in Afghanistan in greater numbers, with security for travel.The U.S., German and Italian presence in Afghanistan will also allow other U.S. personnel, including from the State Department and the CIA, to remain in Afghanistan in greater numbers, with security for travel.
Final post-2014 planning at both agencies has been on hold for months awaiting Obama’s decision. Negotiations on the bilateral security agreement were completed last fall, and a series of deadlines were set and ignored while Karzai’s signature was awaited.Final post-2014 planning at both agencies has been on hold for months awaiting Obama’s decision. Negotiations on the bilateral security agreement were completed last fall, and a series of deadlines were set and ignored while Karzai’s signature was awaited.
In early spring, the administration ended talks with Karzai over the document and said it would await a new president. The initial election round in Afghanistan was held in early April and both leading candidates who are now headed for a runoff — Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani — have said they would sign it.In early spring, the administration ended talks with Karzai over the document and said it would await a new president. The initial election round in Afghanistan was held in early April and both leading candidates who are now headed for a runoff — Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani — have said they would sign it.
“We have both made the case” to the White House in recent weeks, a senior State Department official said, “that since they’ve both said they’d sign, you can make the decision now.”“We have both made the case” to the White House in recent weeks, a senior State Department official said, “that since they’ve both said they’d sign, you can make the decision now.”
Word of Obama’s decision was met with skepticism by some, who questioned the limited time span of the deployment beyond the end of this year. Word of Obama’s decision was met with skepticism in Afghanistan, where army officers expressed concern about complete withdrawal after 2016.
“I’m pleased the White House met the military’s request for forces in Afghanistan,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) said in a statement. “Obama said this week that he would leave Afghanistan in a responsible way. Leaving in 2016 is not responsible,” said one Afghan battalion commander who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
“However, holding this mission to an arbitrary egg-timer doesn’t make a lick of sense strategically. . . . We are in Afghanistan because it was the spawning ground of al-Qaeda and the devastating attack on American soil,” McKeon said, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks. “Those threats still exist.” Upon hearing of the announcement, other Afghan officers enumerated the young army’s weaknesses, which they said would be exacerbated after the American departure.
“We leave when the Afghans can manage that threat, rather than on convenient political deadlines that favor poll numbers over our security,” he said. “We face a lack of air support and a lack of heavy artillery. It is impossible to train and equip the Afghan air force and provide heavy artillery by 2016 or 2017,” said an Afghan brigade commander who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
As combat operations were handed to Afghan forces last year, some U.S. officials held out hope that the Taliban would be more reluctant to target their countrymen than foreign troops. But last year’s fighting season turned out to be brutally violent for Afghan soldiers and police, hundreds of whom were killed each month.
In some cases, Afghan troops refused to leave their bases, knowing the risks of going on patrol. As foreign troops withdraw, taking their medical evacuation capacity with them, Afghan troops knows those risks will only increase.
“The Taliban is a very strong still. To deal with them, Afghanistan needs American troops to be here,” said the Afghan general.
Similar displeasure came from Capitol Hill. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) said he was “pleased” with the decision to leave troops in Afghanistan, but that “holding this mission to an arbitrary egg-timer doesn’t make a lick of sense strategically.”
“We are in Afghanistan because it was the spawning ground of al-Qaeda and the devastating attack on American soil,” McKeon said, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks. “Those threats still exist. We leave when the Afghans can manage that threat, rather than on convenient political deadlines that favor poll numbers over our security.”
Asked about the reason for the timetable, a senior official said “we never signed up to be a permanent security force in Afghanistan.” Obama decided early in his first term that his objective would not be “eliminating the Taliban and al-Qaeda,” the official said, but preventing al-Qaeda from again attacking the United States.
The official also cited the importance of “predictability,” noting that the gradual transition from U.S. and international force responsibility for operations against the Taliban began on a timetable early last year. “There is great utility in people knowing...what they’re going to be responsible for and when,” the official said.
In remarks to troops during his surprise visit to Afghanistan this past weekend, Obama said that the United States is drawing its mission there to a “responsible end.”In remarks to troops during his surprise visit to Afghanistan this past weekend, Obama said that the United States is drawing its mission there to a “responsible end.”
“We want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win. And we’re going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used to launch an attack against our country,” Obama said.“We want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win. And we’re going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used to launch an attack against our country,” Obama said.
In its latest report to Congress on the Afghan war, the Pentagon said that Afghan security ministries continued to suffer from widespread corruption and nepotism, but it lauded the country’s nascent security forces for preventing insurgents from expanding their territorial reach.In its latest report to Congress on the Afghan war, the Pentagon said that Afghan security ministries continued to suffer from widespread corruption and nepotism, but it lauded the country’s nascent security forces for preventing insurgents from expanding their territorial reach.
The United States and other international donors have agreed to spend at least $4 billion a year to support the Afghan security forces between 2015 and 2017. Afghan security forces currently number 382,000.The United States and other international donors have agreed to spend at least $4 billion a year to support the Afghan security forces between 2015 and 2017. Afghan security forces currently number 382,000.
Ernesto Londoño contributed to this report. Kevin Sieff in Kabul and Ernesto Londoño in Washington contributed to this report.