Pentagon weighs troop cuts as Shanahan makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

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https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/02/11/pentagon-weighs-troop-cuts-as-shanahan-makes-surprise-visit-to-afghanistan/

Pentagon weighs troop cuts as Shanahan makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

By: Tara Copp    7 hours ago


KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. is considering what cuts to U.S. force levels could support peace negotiations in Afghanistan while balancing risk there, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Sunday. Shanahan made the surprise visit, his first since becoming acting defense secretary, to meet with U.S. and Afghan leaders to discuss the nascent peace talks and assess the risks tied to a potential drawdown. Shanahan was named acting secretary in December by President Donald Trump to replace former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned.

Shanahan’s visit comes days after the U.S. top negotiator for peace talks with the Taliban, Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, announced that the two parties have agreed in principle to framework where the Taliban would agree to prevent any terror groups from operating under their control, and the U.S. would begin a draw down of forces.
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Shanahan said he would take information gathered during his time in Kabul to NATO, where he is expected at a defense ministerial later this week, and back to the White House. Trump has previously pressed for a withdrawal of forces, who have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001.
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