Top general: Afghan forces need US troops to fight Taliban
By Rebecca Kheel - 03/25/21 02:44 PM EDT Support from U.S. troops is “critical†to Afghan forces’ ability to fight the Taliban and other militants, a top general said Thursday.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Special Operations Command chief Gen. Robert Clarke noted he recently met with his Afghan counterpart and found that “progress has been made†and that his counterpart is a “very dedicated commander.â€
But, Clarke added, “I think the capabilities that the U.S. provides for the Afghans to be able to combat the Taliban and other threats that reside in Afghanistan are critical to their success.â€
The assessment that Afghan forces still need U.S. military support after two decades of war comes as President Biden is deciding whether to adhere to a May 1 deadline to withdraw all U.S. troops that was set in a deal with the Taliban signed by the Trump administration last year.
Biden and other officials have not explicitly said troops will stay past May, but they have increasingly hinted that will be the case.
more
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/544948-top-general-afghan-forces-need-us-troops-to-fight-taliban
