AFGHANISTAN-USA/TROOPS REAX Afghans support US decision to slow pace of troop withdrawal

Record ID: 135938

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN-USA/TROOPS REAX Afghans support US decision to slow pace of troop withdrawal
  • Date: 16th October 2015
  • Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 16, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) RESIDENT OF KABUL, HAJI FAHIM, SAYING: "As the war continues all over Afghanistan, the presence of U.S. troops is hugely needed and they should stay here." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) RESIDENT OF KABUL, ZAKIR KHAN, SAYING: "We urge the U.S. troops to
  • Embargoed: 31st October 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Afghanistan
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADGEFLV3RTV75MX6M2S2AJ05P9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Afghan residents and politicians in Kabul on Friday (October 16) said they supported U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to slow the pace of U.S. troop withdrawal.
    Reversing policy on Afghanistan, Obama announced on Thursday (October 15) he will prolong the 14-year-old U.S. military engagement there, effectively handing off the task of pulling out troops to his successor.
    Calling it a "modest but meaningful" adjustment to winding down the American presence in Afghanistan, Obama said Afghan forces were not yet as strong as they needed to be given a "very fragile" security situation and the United States will maintain a force of 9,800 through most of 2016.
    Kabul residents on Friday welcomed the announcement.
    "As the war continues all over Afghanistan, the presence of U.S. troops is hugely needed and they should stay here," said Haji Fahim, a resident of Kabul.
    "We urge the U.S. troops to help and equip our Afghan forces at this critical time," added Zakir Khan, another Kabul resident.
    Obama had previously aimed to withdraw all but a small U.S.-embassy based force in the capital, Kabul, before he leaves office in January 2017. Under the new plan, troops will be drawn down to 5,500 starting sometime in 2017 and will be based at four locations - Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar.
    Obama has been under pressure from his military advisers, Republicans, and a bipartisan group of national security experts to keep U.S. forces in Afghanistan, particularly as Afghan forces have struggled in assaults from Taliban militants, who briefly took over the northern city of Kunduz.
    Afghan lawmaker, Shukria Barikzai, said keeping some U.S. troops in Afghanistan was the right decision.
    "First of all, it's the right decision and finally Barack Obama listened to the U.S. Generals, they were the head of ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) command in Kabul. (The) early withdrawal in 2014, that was the biggest mistake, the tragedy of Kunduz can be one example of that mistake, and the lack of security and new transfer of security is the cause of lack of proper study and understanding the Afghan condition and security situation in the past. Having 10,000 troops I do believe it's not enough, I also believe it's too early for us right now to judge what may happen in 2016 or 17," she said.
    Barikzai also called on the U.S. to crack down on all insurgents in the region, including in Pakistan.
    "At the meantime it's very important for Afghans and for U.S. particularly for White House and Kabul to understand that this is not a choice for President Obama, this is what needs to be done, this is what needs to be continued and I hope the civilian casualties will be reduced, cooperation will increase between Afghan national security forces and the U.S. and (there) should be a very clear interpretation of terror, because if they are divided on a good terrorist and bad terrorist and if they just only focus on Afghanistan I think we may not achieve what we need to, and it's important to stop the radicalization machine in the area in the region in particular," she said.
    The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan ended its combat mission at the end of 2014, and since then Afghan troops have been in charge of the country's security, with help from U.S. and NATO troops.
    U.S. military and administration officials have been discussing a slower withdrawal timetable since the March visit to the White House of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Obama said he spoke to the leaders on Wednesday (October 14).
    Ghani has been more supportive of the U.S. presence than his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, who left office last year. Obama stressed that he viewed Washington as having a solid partner in the Afghan president.
    Ghani praised Obama's decision, saying the assistance would help his government's forces fight "a ruthless and cunning enemy."
    U.S. troops were first sent to Afghanistan by Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, soon after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, in a U.S.-led effort to destroy al Qaeda and to oust the then-ruling Taliban that had sheltered the militant group.
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