US DoD has prepared plans that leave either 3,000, 6,000 or 9,000 troops in the country, focused on striking at al Qaeda militants. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
President Barack Obama and President Hamid Karzai are due to hold talks in the US next week on a long-term security pact between the two countries, with US troops remaining in Afghanistan at the top of the agenda.
"If America wants to leave a small or large number of its troops for whatever length of time then it means war and destruction will continue in the region for that same length," the Taliban said in a statement.
"If Karzai and the Kabul regime agree with the presence of even a single American soldier then, just as presently, they shall also be responsible for all future hostilities, casualties and destruction."
The latest media reports suggest the US Department of Defense has prepared plans that leave either 3,000, 6,000 or 9,000 troops in the country, focused on striking at al Qaeda militants.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said the slimmed-down force would focus on preventing al Qaeda, which was sheltered by the 1996-2001 Taliban government, from regaining a foothold in the war-shattered nation.
Troops would also continue training the Afghan army and police, who will be responsible for national security more than a decade after a US-led alliance ousted the Taliban regime.
General John Allen, commander of US and NATO forces, had earlier suggested leaving up to 15,000 troops, and the new forecasts would mean scrapping a plan for diplomatic posts across Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal said.
Fewer soldiers would also heighten US reliance on drones to monitor and target militants after most manned aircraft and their pilots pull out, the paper added.
The Nato coalition, which has been fighting an insurgency by Taliban Islamists since 2001, reduced troop numbers by about 30,000 in 2012 and is due to end its mission by the end of 2014.
The 100,000 international forces still in Afghanistan are mentoring the army and police to gradually take over all security duties, while the Afghan government has appointed negotiators to open peace talks with the Taliban.
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@Bhoot: Considering it hasn't been actual battles and more or less just picking people off, 9,000 can easily do what the 100,000 can because 100,000 is a completely unnecessary money drain to defend against the Taliban with their fighting style. They don't make advances, they just attack enough to make people paranoid. Unless they can actually attack the Taliban in their bases (Pakistan's tribal areas), 100,000 soldiers is 100,000 bored soldiers.
@Bhoot: Pakistan is playing on both sides of the war. Enemy hides among civilians. If enemy comes and fights face to face the war will be over in a day. This war is all about money. Pakistan is making billions from this war and would not like it to end. US contractors are making billions and would not want the war to end. There are good and bad talibans working with Pakistan government.
Can someone tell me who is being quoted here? I'll tell you really need to focus on your own country and stop messing with Afghans before even Afghans in america establish a blood feud with you.
@Bhoot:
There goal is not to achieve anything. It is to prevent a return of Al Qaeda or the Taliban into large portions of Afghanistan. At the moment the militants can carry out attacks but cannot control most of Afghanistan.
@Bhoot Without any doubt, i am sure that they will achieve better results than what 600 thousand pakistani troops achieve in 65 years... However, they wont have skills required to take over and impose martial law.. For that to happen, they will need to be trained to to fight & rule your own citizens, rather than engaging with enemies
I'm sure if Pakistan had cooperated, AQ would've been flushed from the region. Taliban have nothing more than nuisance value without AQ.
@Much Amused: I am sure US will be "Much Amused" by your suggestion. Why, they might even break out in a belly laugh at it!
What 100,000+ troops couldn't achieve in 10+ years, how can 9,000 troops could achieve?
Not a single soldier to stay,do as Iraqi did,USA soldier were voted out Iraq through National Assembly otherwise own Afghanis will also killed by brutal Americans in their own land.
In their fight againt the foreign occupiers they have killed thousands of innocent Afghan and Pakistani civilians.
Suggestion for the US. - Make defence pact with Pakistan for stationing these 9k troops on Pakistan territory - Pay Pakistan for this privilage - Then hit the Afghan taliban if they fall out of line