Trump Wants U.S. Troops Out of Afghanistan
WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – U.S. President Donald Trump says that he has no target for when U.S. troops in Afghanistan should return home and that troop withdrawal should occur ‘as soon as is reasonable.’
The U.S. president noted that while he desires a full military withdrawal from Afghanistan, he has not yet set a target date.
"We’re not acting as soldiers, we’re acting as police, and we’re not sent over there to be policemen. But we’re there 19 years, and I think that’s enough. We want to bring our soldiers back home … we can always go back if we have to. If we have to go back, we’ll go back raging, and they [the soldiers] will go back as warriors, fighters, but right now we’re policing, and we’re not meant to be police force,” Trump told a White House news conference.
When asked if the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on November 26 was a target date, Trump responded: "No, I have no target. [U.S. troops will return] as soon as is reasonable. Over a period of time, but as soon as reasonable. We’re down to 7,000-some-odd soldiers right now, and in Iraq, we’re down to 4,000 soldiers. So we’re making a lot of progress.”
Senior U.S. military officials are expected to discuss options for withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan with Trump over the next few days. Complete withdrawal of troops could occur as early as before the November presidential election, officials familiar with the matter told the New York Times this week.
The U.S. reached a deal with the Taliban militant group on February 28, under which the Taliban agreed to halt attacks in return for Washington’s phased withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan and a prisoner exchange with the government in Kabul.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of the so-called war on terror. While the invasion ended the Taliban’s rule in the country, it has failed to eliminate the militant group.
The U.S. president noted that while he desires a full military withdrawal from Afghanistan, he has not yet set a target date.
"We’re not acting as soldiers, we’re acting as police, and we’re not sent over there to be policemen. But we’re there 19 years, and I think that’s enough. We want to bring our soldiers back home … we can always go back if we have to. If we have to go back, we’ll go back raging, and they [the soldiers] will go back as warriors, fighters, but right now we’re policing, and we’re not meant to be police force,” Trump told a White House news conference.
When asked if the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on November 26 was a target date, Trump responded: "No, I have no target. [U.S. troops will return] as soon as is reasonable. Over a period of time, but as soon as reasonable. We’re down to 7,000-some-odd soldiers right now, and in Iraq, we’re down to 4,000 soldiers. So we’re making a lot of progress.”
Senior U.S. military officials are expected to discuss options for withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan with Trump over the next few days. Complete withdrawal of troops could occur as early as before the November presidential election, officials familiar with the matter told the New York Times this week.
The U.S. reached a deal with the Taliban militant group on February 28, under which the Taliban agreed to halt attacks in return for Washington’s phased withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan and a prisoner exchange with the government in Kabul.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of the so-called war on terror. While the invasion ended the Taliban’s rule in the country, it has failed to eliminate the militant group.