Thursday, April 25, 2013
Retired 4 star jarhead says less than 13K troops would be OK
After all when British Maj. Gen William "Elphy Bey" Elphinstone got himself massacred in his retreat from Kabul he only had about 4500 troops.
The former top commander in Afghanistan said he initially recommended that 13,600 U.S. troops remain in the country when the American combat role there ends after 2014, but believes the mission could still be accomplished with less.We have to wonder how these blockheads make it to the top. Whatever number is left behind will merely be there for Taliban target practice. Say what you will about the Russians but at least they had the sense to get everybody out when they left.
"I always believed that was the number that I should recommend," retired Marine Gen. John Allen said of the 13,600 recommendation. A lower number would accomplish the job, but require more assistance from allies, he said.
The issue of what size residual force to leave in Afghanistan has been the subject of debate as the United States grapples with winding down a war that has lasted more than 10 years.
"The question is if you get a number less than that can you still accomplish the mission," Allen said. "I believe there was a number less than that that could still accomplish the mission with acceptable risk." Allen declined to specify the lesser number.
However, the German defense minister said after a NATO meeting in February that then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he envisioned between 8,000 and 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014.
The White House has not reached a decision on numbers.
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Yes, we need to leave NONE behind....and note how quiet it is on the other front about what is happening with troops left behind in Iraq? I don't know what the number decided upon there was, just like I don't know how many benighted and bothered troops still put up with Saudi bullshit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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