Obama: 'The Taliban Remains a Threat,' So He's Again Slowing Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan

[Geee]

CNS News:

(CNSNews.com) - Three days after Republican Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) warned President Obama not to further reduce U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, President Obama on Wednesday announced that he will make "an additional adjustment to our posture," leaving 8,400 U.S. troops in that country through the end of his term.

 

That's well above the "normal embassy presence" he envisioned when he announced the end of major combat operations in 2014.

 

"The security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious," Obama said on Wednesday. "Even as they improve, Afghanistan security forces are still not as strong as they need to be....At the same time, the Taliban remains a threat. They've gained ground in some cases, they've continued attacks and suicide bombings, including in Kabul."

 

(Obama did not mention Islamic State fighters, who also have spread into Afghanistan.)

 

"As president and commander in chief, I've made it clear that I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again," Obama said. "That's why at times I've made adjustments, for example by slowing the drawdown of our forces and more recently, by giving U.S. forces more flexibility to support Afghan forces on the ground and in the air."