US New Strategy in Afghanistan Reflects Previous Retirement Plans



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In 2015, the Obama administration encouraged Afghan commanders to refrain from defending some of the more remote checkpoints and outposts that were considered difficult to recover and retain. General Nicholson supported the idea after he took command in 2016.

If Afghan troops were withdrawing now, most of the country's defense pockets would be left to the local police, who is worse trained than the military and the military. much more vulnerable to Taliban violence. In some areas, police have reached agreements with the Taliban to protect themselves from attacks.

Ghulam Sarwar Haidari, the former deputy chief of police of Badghis Province, said his forces had withdrawn from the small town of Dara-e-bom. the Afghan National Army has abandoned its outposts in recent months. "We should lose 100 lives to retake this region," he said.

The 14,000 soldiers currently deployed in Afghanistan have not returned to the cities. Some of them who train and advise Afghan troops as part of Trump's war strategy are stationed in bases in remote areas and smaller cities

. Trump has long called for the end of the war in Afghanistan and reluctantly accepted the advice of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to send 4,000 more soldiers to try to win the victory

The Administration Trump also calls for top US diplomats The Taliban resumed negotiations to end the war, and two Taliban top officials said Saturday that such talks had been held in Qatar a week ago. If this happens, the negotiations would constitute a major shift in US policy and serve as a bridge to a possible withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

Evan McAllister, a former reconnaissance staff sergeant and sniper, has been fighting in some areas. Helmand Province in 2008 and 2011 – areas that are now almost entirely under the control of the Taliban. He said that trying to maintain a favorable Afghan government presence in rural areas was, and still is, a "crazy race".

"Attempting to control rural areas in Afghanistan always comes down to mere personal survival," McAllister said. "No strategic progress has been made, no population is influenced, but the death or dismemberment of US and Afghan troops is permanent and guaranteed."

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