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US commanders discussing ‘Earlier than planned Significant troops reduction’ in Afghanistan

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The U.S. commanders are discussing options for significantly reducing the U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a move that could bring all U.S. troops back before the voters go to the polls in next presidential elections.

Several U.S. defense officials have told the local media outlets in the United States that the senior military officials are discussing options in the wake of concerns sparked by President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for withdrawing the troops from Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated that he hoped to have the U.S. troops out of Afghanistan ‘as soon as reasonable’.

Speaking to reporters in the Rose Garden, Trump said “We’re really not acting as soldiers. We’re acting as police and we’re not sent there to be policemen, but we’re there 19 years and, yeah, I think that’s enough, and they understand. We’re having very positive talks. We want to bring our soldiers back home.”

Meanwhile, a defense official, quoted in a report by CNN, said an early withdrawal would change the US policy from a conditions-based drawdown to one with a timed deadline, potentially risking a new round of Taliban violence.

US commanders are also making clear that a precipitous withdrawal could put at risk any troops that remain in Afghanistan until the end of the drawdown.

Under the agreement with the Taliban, the US would pull all its troops from Afghanistan 14 months after it was signed in February, on the condition that the Taliban committed to preventing Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups from using Afghan territory and pursued intra-Afghan negotiations for a permanent cease fire. Those talks have not yet begun, according to CNN.

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