Defense officials confident US can fight terrorism in Afghanistan once forces leave; senators remain skeptical
By SARAH CAMMARATA | STARS AND STRIPES Published: May 20, 2021
WASHINGTON — Defense officials on Thursday remained confident the United States can fight terrorism in Afghanistan without troops on the ground in the country, yet some senators were skeptical that the Pentagon’s plan to conduct counterterrorism operations from bases outside the region will be effective.
David Helvey, acting assistant defense secretary for the Indo-Pacific region, and Brig. Gen. Matthew Trollinger, deputy director for political and military affairs on the Joint Staff, testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Taliban’s ability to execute attacks against the U.S. from Afghanistan has diminished, and U.S. forces can fight terrorism there from a distance.
“I absolutely believe we can,” Trollinger told Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., in response to a question on the U.S. ability to continually combat threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations using an “over-the-horizon” operations strategy.
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/defense-officials-confident-us-can-fight-terrorism-in-afghanistan-once-forces-leave-senators-remain-skeptical-1.674132
