Barack Obama secretly extends US combat role in Afghanistan
Classified reports show troops to remain for another year despite President
saying there would be a complete withdrawal by year-end
U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement about military troop pullout
from Afghanistan at the Rose Garden of the White House Photo: Getty Images
By Agencies
5:50AM GMT 22 Nov 2014
Barack Obama has extended the combat role for US troops in Afghanistan for
another year, in a classified order he signed in recent weeks, according to
reports.
Previously, the president had said US-led NATO combat operations would
finish at the end of this year.
The NATO follow up mission, to take over on January 1 with 9,800 US troops
and about 3,000 soldiers from Germany, Italy and other member nations, was
to focus on supporting Afghan forces as they take on the Taliban, in
parallel with US counter-terrorism operations.
But in a strategic shift, the New York Times said, Obama signed an order
authorizing US troops through 2015 to carry out missions against militant
groups, including the Taliban, that threaten them or the Afghan government.
The new order also allows for air support - from US jets, bombers and drones
- for Afghan combat missions.
The newspaper said civilian advisors argued against the broader mission for
2015, objecting to putting American lives in danger in the fight against the
Taliban and recommending a narrower, counter-terrorism focus against
Al-Qaeda.
"There was a school of thought that wanted the mission to be very limited,
focused solely on Al-Qaeda," one American official told the paper.
But, the official said, "the military pretty much got what it wanted."
However, a senior official told the Times that US forces next year would not
carry out regular patrols against the Taliban.
"We will no longer target belligerents solely because they are members of
the Taliban," the official said.
"To the extent that Taliban members directly threaten the United States and
coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support to Al Qaeda,
however, we will take appropriate measures to keep Americans safe."
The newspaper said the change was in part related to the rapid advance of
jihadist Islamic State militants in Iraq, which has sparked criticism that
Obama pulled troops out without a fully-prepared Iraqi military in place.
it also said that new Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was more open to
accepting a wide-ranging US military mission than his predecessor Hamid
Karzai.
Earlier this month, US defense officials had said commanders were weighing a
delay in withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan after the country's
protracted election set back preparations for the transition.
The new head of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, General John Campbell,
and other senior officers were reviewing whether a larger force needs to
stay in place longer than initially planned, officials said.
At its peak, the US force rose to more than 100,000 in Afghanistan, and
there are now 27,000 troops deployed.
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in
anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni
katika machafuko"
_______________________________________________
Ugandanet mailing list
[email protected]
http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet
UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including
attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way.
---------------------------------------
