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| Image: Wiki Commons |
By Ankit Panda
Following Afghanistan’s elections, the U.S. is considering leaving fewer than 10,000 troops in the country.
According to a Reuters exclusive, the U.S. troop count in Afghanistan could be cut to below 10,000 troops — the minimum troop count recommended by the Pentagon. The U.S. Department of Defense recommended that should it become infeasible to field at least 10,000 troops in Afghanistan following the 2014 withdrawal, the United States should instead considering pulling out entirely. Currently, the post-2014 status of U.S. troops in Afghanistan remains indeterminate pending the final approval of a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between the Afghan and U.S. governments.
Incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai has refused to negotiate the BSA with the United States, arguing that it is a matter for his successor to determine. Currently, Abdullah Abdullah is the front-runner in the presidential elections but he does not appear to have the requisite votes to prevent a run-off vote against runner-up Ashraf Ghani. Should a run-off vote occur, Afghanistan will acquire a new president at the end of May at the earliest.
Read the full story at The Diplomat