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Obama Announces Withdrawal Of 33000 US Troops From Afghanistan

(RTTNews) - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday ordered the withdrawal of 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year and another 23,000 by 2012.

In a televised address from the White House, Obama told fellow-Americans that it was "time to focus on nation-building here at home."

The President's announcement which followed a month-long strategy review also included details of pulling out troops sent by him to Afghanistan as part of a "surge" in 2009.

Incidentally the pace and extent of drawdown is faster and bigger than the one envisaged by military Commanders. The military leaders had cautioned the President that the gains achieved against the Taliban were fragile and reversible and that troop numbers ought to be kept high until 2013.

According to the Commanders, this would give them another full "fighting season" to target Taliban leaders and their bastions.

Despite the withdrawals announced by the President, around 68,000 US troops will stay on in the country. All American combat soldiers are scheduled to leave Afghanistan by 2013 provided Afghan troops are ready to assume security tasks.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Defense Ministry welcomed the decision to withdraw foreign troops.

"We appreciate the efforts and sacrifices made by the foreign forces in Afghanistan, but at the same time we congratulate them for returning back to their homelands after a long period of war. The Afghan National Army [ANA] is ready to fill their space but they will face some problems in this area as they still lack weapons and equipment, " a spokesman said.

by RTT Staff Writer

Source: http://www.rttnews.com/Content/Policy.a ... 52232&SM=1