ISLAMABAD — The Afghan Taliban on Thursday welcomed a tweet from PresidentDonald Trumplinkinwhich he promised to have the last of U.S. troops out of Afghanistan byChristmas — or at least by the end of the year.
If that withdrawal happens, it would be months ahead of schedule and thetweet made no reference to a Taliban promise to fight terrorist groups — aprevious pre-requisite for an American withdrawal.
In a tweet that seemed to contradicted his national security adviser, Trumpsaid “we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Womenserving in Afghanistan home by Christmas.”
On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Robert O”Brien, speaking ofAmerican forces in Afghanistan, told an audience in Las Vegas that “as oftoday, there are under 5,000 and that will go to 2,500 by early next year.”
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Yet when asked about his tweet, Trump told Fox Business Channel: “We’redown to 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. I’ll have them home by the end of theyear. They’re coming home, you know, as we speak. Nineteen years is enough.They’re acting as policemen, OK? They’re not acting as troops.”
America’s exit from Afghanistan after 19 years was laid out in an agreementlinkWashingtonreached with the Taliban in February. However, that agreement said U.S.troops would be out of Afghanistan in 18 months, provided the Talibanhonored a commitment to fight terrorist groups, with most attentionseemingly focused on the Islamic State group’s affiliate in the country.
