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Subscribe to RSSAs the Obama administration debates the scope of troop withdrawls from Afghanistan starting this summer, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Carl Levin (D-MI) said this afternoon he wants to see at least 15,000 troops withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of the year.
Levin told reporters he wants to see combat troops included with support troops. He was staking out his position on troop withdrawals ahead of the confirmation hearing he will chair on Thursday for Leon Panetta to be Secretary of Defense.
"I advocate a significant number of troops including combat troops," he said. "That's my position ... at least 15,000 by the end of this year."
Levin was responding to reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is advocating a small number of support troops be removed this summer. He does not expect Panetta to come to the hearing on Thursday with specific numbers, but he is calling on the president to stand by past promises.
"I think he should stick to the commitment he made that there would be a significant reduction of U.S. forces in July," Levin said. "I think that's going to be the key issue. Its a critically imporant issue."
He also noted that troop withdrawals are a spending issue.
"There are billions of dollars involved in this decision," he said.
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Great idea, but why stop there?
I think we need to implement this immediately! Start the draw-down NOW! Finally someone with some sense in a position of authority! Get our men/women home and keep them here! Let the Afghanies take care of themselves without our expensive help.
Reassign them to our southern border and stop the flow of drugs and illegals! Let the illegals face a few hundred Abrams tanks staring them down. "Ey Carumba!"
$2 Billion a week being spent in Afganistan these days.
Let's see, times 52 weeks.....Whoa, Nellie. Not huge scratch in the grand scheme of things, but what the hell?
This is one giant belated step in the right direction.
A sped up 'gradual' reduction makes sense now that OBL heard from Obama.
Got 'im. Done & go home.
Karzai can get someone else to fund his wardrobe and warlords.
"Karzai can get someone else to fund his wardrobe and warlords."
Amen, Missy. This guy never seemed too appreciative of what we are doing for him over there, in my opinion.
If the surge was 30,000 troops, then asking that half be drawn down is a VERY reasonable request. It's a no in war and it's time for the Afghans to start shouldering more of the responsibility. Hell, it's only been 10 years and trillions in aid.
Want to bet you're going to here someone say ...depends on the situation on the ground.
Iraq and Afganistan want us out, what's the problem? Let's get out! Let's reduce forces from bases all over Europe while we are at it
Ira,
I think even the warmongers amongst the neocons are war weary enough not to go the "It depends the situation on the ground." route this time. After all the deficit/debt drum beating on the right lately they are coming around to the fact that we cannot afford these excursions into wars for unfounded reasons or indefinite war timelines.
With the BIG CHUNK of our goals there accomplished when OBL's departed and Al Quaida a bay if not on the run and leaderless, YES WE CAN leave! They can't seem to keep a leader for Al Qaida with Obama in office; not so much the case with W and his gang.
The Taliban will not be the influence it was IF Karzai grows a spine which I doubt. No matter, it is on him now to show some leadership and take up the mantle of his own country's defense/protection from outside forces.
Thank goodness we'll still have an unknown number of "private contractors"...a sham is a sham is a sham....
AH the war contractor scam that goes with the war rebuilding before the war ends scam. These are the folk who deserve to be added to the unemployment lines immediately if not sooner.
Isn't war privatization good for America? Why, no. It isn't. Costs WAAAAAAAY too much.
Kill the poppy fields, depriving the Taliban of revenue, and leave. If the Afghans want it to end it will end. Otherwise they can have a nice civil war.
I'm all for bringing all the troops home NOW... Iraq and Afghanistan... Screw that nation rebuilding nonsense while we have infrastructure issues here at home...
The Soviet Union fell apart during their little adventure there and we failed to learn that lesson... This was EXACTLY what Bin Laden had in mind when he orchestrated the 9/11 attacks... Trillions of dollars, Thousands of dead American soldiers, tens of thousands wounded, and to what end?... More blood, more lost lives and a ruined economy...
It is sheer madness to continue... To hell with the weapons makers and those war mongers who need this to continue to boost their profits...
Our military has done it's job, Bin Laden is dead... What else do we need to do?...
Pack up the military and bring them home to a heroes welcome and let them get on with their lives!
PEACE!
make that thirty thousand and you have a deal!!!
Amazingly but justifiably one-sided here. Sure there'll be the old "conditions on the ground" and don't forget the "a sign of weakness that'll 'embolden' the enemy." Realistically, does anyone actually believe the "conditions on the ground were in the past; or will be in the future - significantly differrent. And for the "sign of weakness" arguement - I'd say that staying in large numbers, losing larger and larger numbers, and spending at a level so astronomical actually CAUSES weakness. The political divisiveness and gigantic dollar cost of this folly actually does weaken our nation and reduces our flexibility in dealing matters fiscal, foreign, and domestic.
We are finally getting the heck outta there! Support your troops!
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It's about time we get the heck outta there! Support your troops!
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