White House: Obama to decide soon on US Afghanistan troop cut
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June 07, 2011
The White House says President Barack Obama expects to decide "fairly soon" on the number of U.S. troops that will be withdrawn from Afghanistan starting in July.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said on June 6 that Obama intended to order a "real," or significant, withdrawal of U.S. forces, as based on the "conditions on the ground" in Afghanistan.
Carney said no decision on a number had yet been made, and that Obama is waiting to receive a recommendation from U.S. military commanders.
Around 100,000 U.S. troops are now deployed in Afghanistan, and U.S. and NATO plans call for withdrawals of foreign forces with the aim of the Afghan government taking complete responsibility for security by the end of 2014.
Obama has faced calls for a major withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan since U.S. forces killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a May raid in Pakistan.
Officials said Obama would discuss the situation in Afghanistan in a video conference on June 8 with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
compiled from agency reports
