Afghanistan: Obama orders withdrawal of 33,000 troops
I still find the recent announcement of U.S. troop reductions in Afghanistan quite dubious. As Gareth Porter points out they way the announcement was made gives the military a lot of leeway to still drag the conflict out for many years to come.
But following Obama's announcement of U.S. troop reductions in Afghanistan, there is a rush to the exits by the allies who were pressed into service there.
France to pull out troops from Kabul
President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on Friday that “several hundred” French troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan before the end of 2011.
Belgium to cut in half its Afghan contingent
BRUSSELS – Belgium's defense minister is proposing to withdraw half of the nation's 580 troops from Afghanistan by next year.
Germany to cut troops to Afghanistan
Germany said it would cut its troops presence in Afghanistan this year and praised US President Barack Obama for 'firming up' plans for withdrawing forces.
Defence plans for Afghan troop cuts
AUSTRALIA'S military planners are preparing for a possible reduction in Australian troop numbers in Afghanistan in response to the drawdown announced this week by US President Barack Obama.
Poland to reduce its Afghan force: PM
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was glad to hear U.S. President Barack Obama's declaration on the reduction of American forces in Afghanistan, and had asked the Polish defense minister to prepare a similar plan for Polish troops serving in that country.
While I believe that everyone else will try to get their troops out of Afghanistan as soon as possible, I am not sure yet that a U.S. exit is for real.
Few seem to remember that U.S. troop reductions were also announced back in 2005:
The announcement – representing the first major reduction in U.S. troop strength there since late last year – launches what is expected to be a gradual decline in troop levels that will also include reductions in U.S. forces in Iraq.
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The reduction would bring U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to about 16,500."It’s a good thing – it’s progress," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told a small group of reporters Tuesday.
There even was a reduction of U.S. troops Afghanistan in 2004:
Troop levels in Afghanistan peaked at 20,300 in April 2004, dropped to about 16,500 by the end of last year, and then increased to about 20,000, earlier this year.
As those pull outs of troops in 2004 and 2005/6 turned out to be fake, what is there to ensure us that Obama's announcement is for real?
Indeed I can think of several scenarios that could lead to another troop increase in the area. A coup in Pakistan, some strife with Iran, a Tet like offense by the Taliban or even a combination of those could all lead to a deployment of more, not less U.S. troops.
