About Those “9,800” US Troops Staying in Afghanistan Next Year . . . .

Jonn wrote earlier today about US troops remaining in Afghanistan after the end of this year. Specifically, the word was we’re leaving “nearly 10,000” troops (9,800, specifically) there after the end of this year – 8,000 to support the NATO mission, with the rest dedicated to antiterrorism and/or other actions.

But it turns out that figure the POTUS and Pentagon keep throwing out there is a bit . . . . misleading. So I thought I’d help clarify.

The figure of 9,800 remaining in Afghanistan is consistent with what the POTUS claimed in May. Then, the claim was that we’d draw down below 10,000 troops by the end of this year; by another 50% (to less than 5,000) by the end of 2015; and to just those troops necessary for embassy security by the end of 2016.

And that would be all well and good. Except . . . I checked some recent news stories about the subject.

Guess what? My trouser leg is wet – yet again. And once again, it ain’t rain.

Seems as if some of our NATO allies have recently indicated there will be a delay in fulfilling their commitments to the Afghan mission. That delay will leave a gap in the short-term – in early 2015, to be precise.

Wanna guess who’s going to step in and fill that gap – to the tune of up to another 1,000 troops beyond those 9,800 originally planned? Naw, don’t bother to guess. Just read this link from Reuters carefully.

The Pentagon is calling this “a ‘bridging solution’ until other nations fulfil their pledges later in the year or the troops are no longer needed”. But don’t worry. While the Pentagon acknowledged holding discussions with NATO partners, spokesman RADM John Kirby stated, “As we stand here today, there is no change in the 9,800 force level.”

Look, we who’ve been in the military understand reacting to changes. And we understand that “the enemy has a vote”, and their actions can change our plans. The same is true of our allies.

But GMAFB, Admiral. We weren’t supposed to send combat troops to Vietnam either, – just a few “advisers”. You’d think the Pentagon would have learned from Vietnam that misleading the US public about how many troops we’re sending to a foreign war is a “seriously bad idea”. So how about you just tell us the truth about what’s going on here, OK?

Sheesh. This clueless DC clown krewe current Administration doesn’t appear to know its butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to national security and international relations. January 2017 can’t get here fast enough.

Category: Foreign Policy, Government Incompetence, Military issues