U.S. troops arrive at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, June 30, 2015. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
eversing policy on Afghanistan, President Barack Obama announced on Thursday he will prolong the 14-year-old U.S. military engagement there, effectively handing off the task of pulling out troops to his successor.
Obama has been under pressure from his military advisers, Republicans, and a bipartisan group of national security experts to keep US forces in Afghanistan, particularly as Afghan forces have struggled in assaults from Taliban militants, who briefly took over the northern city of Kunduz.
Keeping 5,500 troops at four locations will cost about $14.6 billion per year, up from the estimated cost of $10 billion to keep a consolidated force at the Kabul embassy, officials said.
Source : YAHOO! NEWS
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Sam
The war in Afghanistan will end in Pakistan.
Fogleg
Can we hasten Obama's withdrawal from Office?
Doug
obama the war mongerer.
The Great Deceiver
"Keeping 5,500 troops at four locations will cost about $14.6 billion per year"
That breaks down to $46,419 per soldier per DAY. What the hell is all that paying for?
Dub
After Obama pulled out of Iraq shortly before the 2012 election so that he could claim to have honored one of his promises, allowing the rise of ISIS, dismissed as the "junior varsity," he also made the statement that Al Qaeda was on the run. This resulted in them attacking our embassy in Benghazi and killing four Americans. Then he announced that he would be pulling troops out of Afghanistan, resulting in an immediate resurgence of the Taliban there. This man constantly puts American lives at risk while he plays his little political games. Jan 2017 can't come soon enough.
Sandy
Obama is clueless. He must use a Magic 8Ball for his advise!
He ignores the billions of dollars of advise from the people who know better than he.
Chicago
But wait he ended the Afghanistan war so how can this be?
Just the latest in a long list of lies an bs from Obama.
Rj
So by not pulling the troops out is admitting you screwed up in Iraq?
hiccup
"Keeping 5,500 troops at four locations will cost about $14.6 billion per year"
Here's a novel idea. Why don't we reduce 5,500 troops from current bases in Asia, such as Japan or Okinawa, or from Europe, such as Germany and offset most of that $14.6 billion per year? Just a suggestion.
larry
I really find it amazing that Obama still said Bush pulled the troups from Iraq.When in fact Bush did agree to a general with draw of troups but with no real time line.It was Obama that meet with Malaki in 2008 before the election and said he would pull the troups in 16 mo. or less and he did.That is what caused the area to fall apart
Gabe Noway
We have learned nothing... Obama is making one of two mistakes.. His slowing the withdrawal in Afghanistan either is admitting the area still needs out help or is at risk of being overrun like the rest of the middle east. OR he is leaving our military guys in limbo with not enough resources as he trickles units out of the region but leaving the ones behind in more danger.... Another campaign promise lie.. Either go all in or get all out.. limbo puts soldiers at risk at great cost
John
Well, let's see ... Russia has planes and tanks in Syria (so much for a no-fly zone), Cuba and Iran are sending ground troops (looks like Assad is not going to go soon), IS is not on the run, the moderate Arab states are trying to remove Iranian influence from the penninsula, Iraq is requesting a security agreement with Russia ... looks like Obama's Middle East policies have worked well, huh?
Roland
Another stupid mistake Mr. Oba--na. no matter what, nothing will ever change there.Different culture religion and that is the way it will stay. Why waste money and the life's of soldiers? They will NEVER except the Western way of life. To prove my point try to open up franchises of Starbucks or Mac. Donald's they will blow them up instantly as we are not welcome there and never will be get that through your thick skull.
Ineluctable
Change of course? Another broken promise form one who makes a career out of it. Hey liberals, boots on the ground, Ah, oh are you lovin' it? HAHAHAHAH Obama cannot be trusted either. Obama and Hillary just alike.
Andre
Reacting now once his half-baked plan fell apart. All this under a pretense of having a consistent strategy.
Dan
The Obama administration believes US foreign policy is best managed by people who have no experience of foreign policy; the Sec State job is awarded as a political prize.
NeilB
Why does our government continue to advertise our troop deployments &m what we are going to do? This is completely stupid! Our troops are fighting & dying yet we give information that will help the enemy???
jimm
Still #$%$ America I see. Obama is a Muslim and its well documented. Hid grandfather and father were too. That too is well documented. All his decisions, every single one, has been in the favor of Muslims. He allows a million Muslims just a few days ago to say.,. :Down with America, Down with America"! Wake up idiot's. ALL Muslim's read the same book and have same belief system. It is honorable to kill anyone who disagrees with their beliefs, and to even kill their own children for disobedience. There is no such thing as a peaceful Muslim, just quiet ones for now. But don't wake up....go back to your video games and mall shopping. Ignorant
Sandy
"Obama 'took the wrong side' on climate change, says physicist Freeman Dyson"
Theoretical physicist and Democrat voter Freeman Dyson has expressed his disappointment with President Obama’s stance on climate change.
larry
He doesn't have a clue.
WD
Should never have gone to Afghanistan.
Obama is only concerned about how the world views him according to his rivalry with Putin. Obama is such a narcissistic, self centered moron.
JC
He missed his opportunity to be a factor in the Mid-East by failing to have an overall strategy and backing the wrong people. Now, Putin has taken control and Obama and the US are non-factors.
GRJ
The 8-year train-wreck known as the Obama Presidency continues.
keeper
In 2008, Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his efforts in ending the war in Afghanistan. Now he will keep troops there indefinitely. Will he give the Nobel prize back?
CALIFORNIAMARTY
Mitt Romney in the debates and it's on video so don't try to deny it told Obama that Russia was our "greatest geopolitical foe"
He also told Obama that pulling out all of the troops from Iraq was a great mistake as it would create a vacuum for terrorists to walk in and didn't Obama want a SOFA renewal?
Obama mocked him and said NO he did not want a SOFA!
I guess Obama learned his lesson!
bob
I blame Bush for this failed war.
Booze Weasel
why must we spend considerable blood and treasure defending people who do not like us and who do not want us in their country...?
Jesse
Never pro-active, but always RE-active, depending on which way the winds blow and what the latest polls say! Just because you pull out of a fight doesn't mean that all of the ongoing violence and civil carnage somehow majically disappears!
Tuor
We're getting pushed out of Syria, so now we need to get back into Afghanistan. Where else are we going to be able to test out our latest toys on live targets?
DB 4
doesn't it seem rather stupid to broadcast what you're going to do ahead of time? Isn't that really the reason he's having to back off it now, since it was stupidly done a year or more ago?
Mike
What an incompetent waffler! Anything to support his precious MB...
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