US military blindsided by Donald Trump’s Afghan plan as Taliban cheers
- Pentagon and State officials fear president’s tweet about having troops home ‘by Christmas’ will undercut ongoing peace talks
- Hasty withdrawal could force US to leave behind sensitive military equipment
The US military was blindsided on Thursday by President Donald Trump’s assertion that all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, with US officials saying they are not aware of such a plan and have got no actual order to accelerate the more gradual pull-out they have been executing.
Trump’s comments, laid out in a confusing progression of comments and a tweet, alarmed Pentagon and State officials who fear that putting a definitive date on troop withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalise a peace deal between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
They also fear a hasty withdrawal could force the US to leave behind sensitive military equipment. And they continue to stress that the Taliban has still not met requirements to reduce violence against the Afghans, a key element of the US withdrawal plan.
The Taliban welcomed Trump’s announcements, which started with a tweet Wednesday saying “we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas”. He reinforced early withdrawal plans Thursday morning, in a Fox Business Channel interview that understated the number of troops currently in Afghanistan.
“We’re down to 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. I’ll have them home by the end of the year. They’re coming home, you know, as we speak. Nineteen years is enough. They’re acting as policemen, OK? They’re not acting as troops,” Trump said.