Obama Expected to Announce Major Afghan Drawdown (10,000 Out This Year)

[tekisui]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Washington—
President Obama plans to announce a troop reduction in Afghanistan that Pentagon and other administration officials say is expected to bring home about 10,000 personnel by the end of the year.

In a speech to be delivered Wednesday, the president is expected to declare that successes in disrupting Al Qaeda's ability to stage attacks against the United States allow him to begin reducing troop levels, said the officials, who cautioned that Obama was still "finalizing" his decision.

In 2009 the president coupled his decision to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan with a pledge to begin removing some of those forces this summer. U.S. officials and outside experts familiar with recent deliberations said Obama was leaning toward withdrawing all the additional troops by the end of 2012 or early 2013. That would leave close to 70,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Withdrawing 10,000 or so troops this year represents a steeper drawdown than Gen. David H. Petraeus and senior Pentagon officials preferred. The Pentagon had been hoping to limit the initial withdrawal to 3,000 to 4,000.

more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-withdrawal-20110621,0,6964197.story

[tekisui]

1. Probably 5,000 now(ish) and 5,000 more by next spring.

With Obama's second surge all coming out by the end of 2012. 67,000 or so will stay from 2012 through 2014, I am curious to see what the rate will be for those, I doubt any firm details will come on that. Will Obama's plan be an exit strategy or just a force reduction?

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/06/20/116167/obamas-afghan-drawdown-plan-takes.html

[MadHound]

2. So we're talking approximately ten percent of the troops will be withdrawn,

That's not "major", sorry.

Let's try for half, or better yet, all.

[tekisui]

3. I agree, 10% is not major. Nor does it appear that it will be a start of

a withdrawal. Just a slight reduction in force, of course depending on "conditions on the ground." I am sure the WH is eager to get Obama's 33,000 second-surge out by election time, though.

[Rebubula]

4. Not enough

I am still having a hard time differentiating the current administration with the last one when it comes to foreign policy and war.


What happened to the progressive person I voted for?

Of course, I would be naive to think that President Barack Obama is more than a figurehead - all the real power and control are in place regardless of who is in the Oval Office. Presidents are still controlled by other, and often shadowy, influences.

[BlueIris]

5. You mean, do the bare minimum he should have done first thing in '09?

Instead of increasing the number of troops there.

Not impressed by anyone finally doing the bare minimum to clean up this shameful mistake.

[kenny blankenship]

6. What counts is the day they all leave. Everything else is bullshit.

and frankly he has no credibility left.