US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley said theUS withdrawal from Afghanistan would depend on a reduction in violence.
“The whole agreement and all of the drawdown plans are conditions-based,” General Milley told NPR radio service.
Last seek, President Donald Trump said he wants US forces “home by Christmas.”
“As you will look at the 28 February agreement, One of those conditions is: enter Afghan negotiations. Those are ongoing right now. That’s important. Another one is not attacking U.S. forces; not conducting major attacks in the major urban areas of Afghanistan; severing ties with al-Qaida,” General Milley told NPR.
“And there’s a whole variety of other conditions. So we’re monitoring all of those conditions closely.”
Gen Milley said at the time of agreement with Taliban in February, U.S. had about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan. “That came down to, call it 8,500, 8,600 or so by mid summer, and we’re on a plan to do a responsible, deliberate drawdown to about 4,500 here very shortly,” he told NPR.
“And then future drawdowns will be determined by the president.”
