US declines commenting on Afghan drawdown

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): The White House on Friday declined commenting on reports about troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying it would not make any statement on future strategic developments.

“We are not going to comment on future strategic developments,” Garrett Marquis, spokesman of the National Security Council at the White House, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The US currently has 15,000 troops on the ground in Afghanistan. According to multiple media outlets, Trump wants to reduce the strength by 7,000.

The White House has not responded to questions related to this except for saying that it does not want to comment on any future strategic decision.

Congressman Mac Thornberry, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he was deeply disturbed by reports that the administration was planning to cut the number of troops in Afghanistan.

“Such a move would complicate the remaining troops’ ability to protect themselves; because coalition partners to reduce their presence as well and set back progress in helping the Afghan security forces to be able to provide for their country's security.”

Thornberry warned the plan would relieve pressure on the Taliban at a critical juncture in peace negotiations and allow ISIS, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan to rebuild and eventually launch attacks against Americans.

"Considerable progress has been made in the last two years against terrorist organisations in a variety of places around the world. Reducing the American presence in Afghanistan  ... will reverse that progress,," Thornberry concluded.

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