US is weeks ahead of schedule on Afghanistan drawdown, with fewer than 10,000 troops still in country despite having until mid-July to get down to 8,600.
Notably, not a single one of the conditions for this "conditions-based" withdrawal has been fulfilled edition.cnn.com/2020/04/30/pol…
Notably, not a single one of the conditions for this "conditions-based" withdrawal has been fulfilled edition.cnn.com/2020/04/30/pol…
This should not, of course, surprise anyone.
Many US officials have been relatively honest that the withdrawal has nothing to do with conditions in Afghanistan and everything to do with domestic politics.
Many US officials have been relatively honest that the withdrawal has nothing to do with conditions in Afghanistan and everything to do with domestic politics.
Here's Esper in October 2019 refusing to tie the drawdown to a prospective deal.
And here's Pompeo in July 2019 saying more or less the same thing after accidentally admitting that Trump told him to get EVERYONE out by July 2020 no matter what.
Here's National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien saying Trump will draw down regardless of a deal in January
The best part, of course, is this idiotic quote by O'Brien, saying Trump demanded that "there needs to be a reduction of violence and immediate transition to inter-Afghan talks after a deal."
Well that's not happening. At all.
Well that's not happening. At all.
Incidentally, the US withdrawal actually began months before the deal was signed, which is why we're so ahead of schedule.
