When President Obama leaves office 8,400 U. S. soldiers will remain in Afghanistan, CNN reports:
(CNN)President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he will leave behind more troops in Afghanistan than originally planned.
Speaking from the White House, Obama said he would draw down troops to 8,400 by the end of his administration, from the initial target of 5,500. The current level of troops in Afghanistan is 9,800.
Their mission will continue to be to train and support the Afghan military and participate in counter-terrorism activities.
So, a force inadequate to accomplish its ill-defined and probably impossible mission will remain in Afghanistan indefinitely. Charming.
But the optics are good. And the fans will cheer.
ISIS would never have emerged if only we had left 8,000 troops in Iraq, or so I am told. This will guarantee ISIS stays away from Afghanistan.
Steve
Yes, I thought that remark was, shall we say, far from hinged.