President Obama is considering slowing his plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan just as former diplomats and military officials are calling for a conditions-based approach to the unstable security situation in the country.
The Washington Post is reporting that under the Obama administration’s “still-evolving plans,” Army Gen. John Campbell, who oversees U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, would be given greater latitude in 2015 to determine the pace of the drawdown. Those plans would allow foreign fighters to spend more time training Afghan troops to ensure that they are capable of combating Taliban insurgents without any assistance.
Former senior officials with experience with the country warned lawmakers during a Wednesday Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the situation in Afghanistan that the administration would be making a mistake if it stuck to its plan to withdraw troops from the country by the end of 2016.
By abiding by a fixed drawdown date, the administration is alerting its enemies to the best time to attack the nascent Afghan National Security Forces, said Ryan Crocker, former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012.
“To draw down to a certain number and then basically draw down to an office and an embassy simply tells our adversaries how long they have to hold out until they have the field to themselves,” Mr. Crocker said.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham told lawmakers that the U.S. government needed to maintain a continued presence in the country to protect its investment and “significant gains.”
The current withdrawal timeline is “too steep” and may leave Afghan troops unprepared and vulnerable to opposition forces, he said. Mr. Cunningham was ambassador to Afghanistan from 2012 until he retired in December 2014.
“This critical time in Afghanistan’s history will determine whether it becomes a positive element in defeating extremism or a negative and dangerous one,” Mr. Cunningham said. “With Islamic extremism now morphing and moving across borders, it seems clear what the future in Afghanistan will be if we do not make the effort.”
Key Pentagon officials have recently indicated that they are in favor of taking a condition-based approach to maintaining a U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey has previously suggested that the drawdown schedule be reviewed.
Additionally, incoming Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has expressed an interest in revisiting the plan.
Mr. Carter said in his response to pre-confirmation hearing questions that he would consider recommending to Mr. Obama that he revise the size and pace of his drawdown plan if security conditions on the country deteriorate in 2016.
The Obama administration initially intended to keep 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but decided in late 2014 to keep an extra 1,000 troops in the country for several more months.
• Maggie Ybarra can be reached at mybarra@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.