US considering ‘options’ on Afghan troop withdrawal

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan on Thursday said the administration is reviewing the schedule of a troop withdrawal from that country.

Army Gen. John Campbell said the options he provided would allow for more troops throughout the summer fighting season.

{mosads}“I have provided options to my chain of command,” Campbell told lawmakers at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday. 

The administration now plans to drawdown the roughly 10,000 U.S. troops to 5,500 by the middle of this year’s fighting season. Troop levels would drop further to 1,000 by the end of next year. 

Republicans have charged that the administration is withdrawing troops too quickly from Afghanistan.

At Thursday’s hearing, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) used his opening remarks to argue that the schedule “no longer accurately reflects the facts and conditions on the ground.”

Campbell said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has “asked for some flexibility” on the withdrawal.

He also confirmed reports that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has spread into Afghanistan, though he said it was “nascent” and “fledgling.”

He said the ISIS presence partly reflects Taliban members “rebranding” themselves.