The plan attracts Republicans: even Trump’s confidants are strictly against the withdrawal of troops



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Before US President-elect Biden takes office, Trump wants to hastily create facts and keep his election promise to US soldiers. But leading Republicans warn against Tabiban, Islamic State and Al Qaeda. The trauma of Vietnam also comes to life in the debate.

Leading US Republicans have clearly warned President Donald Trump against an accelerated withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Conservative Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the US “renounces” its allies and gives the Islamists a “great propaganda victory.”

If the United States were to leave the camp in Afghanistan to the radical Islamic Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) jihadist militia, this would be “a symbol of defeat and humiliation for the United States and a victory for Islamic extremism,” he said. McConnell, who is actually a close ally of Trump, out. The al-Qaeda terror network is also strongly threatened. It would even bring to mind the US withdrawal from Saigon in 1975 during the Vietnam War, McConnell said.

US media previously reported that Trump could withdraw 2,000 troops from Afghanistan and 500 troops from Iraq before his term ends on January 20. 2,500 US soldiers would then be stationed in both countries. According to the CNN news channel, the instructions could come later this week.

Christmas promises to the soldiers

Prior to the November 3 election, Trump declared that all US soldiers still stationed in Afghanistan should return home by Christmas. His national security advisor, Robert O’Brien, said the goal would be to reduce the number to 2,500 early next year.

Chief of Staff Mark Milley later stated that another withdrawal of US troops will depend on a reduction in violence by the Taliban. The Taliban are currently negotiating peace with the Afghan government.

Republican Congressman Michael McCaul warned that a “hasty US withdrawal” would not only weaken the Afghan government’s negotiating stance but also harm US counterterrorism interests. For this reason, US soldiers should remain in Afghanistan for the “foreseeable future”.

Trump has long been pushing for troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan. However, his generals warn that Islamists could then regain the upper hand in the country. The last time Trump fired his Defense Secretary Mark Esper a week ago, who had insisted on temporarily leaving 4,500 US troops in the country. Pentagon acting chief Christopher Miller then hinted at an accelerated troop withdrawal over the weekend: “Time to go home.”

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