Defense Officials Explain US Policy, Strategy in Afghanistan
by US Department of Defense
May 19, 2021
The threat of violent extremists attacking the United States or allies from Afghanistan has been greatly reduced over the past 20 years, and any remaining threat emanating from the country can be addressed without a persistent U.S. military presence there, DOD officials told the House Armed Services Committee today.
President Joe Biden announced April 14 that all U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the twentieth anniversary of the attack on the United States that the al-Qaida terror group planned and trained for from safe havens in Afghanistan. That attack killed 2,977 innocent people in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. More than 6,000 were injured.
David F. Helvey, acting assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, and Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Matthew G. Trollinger, deputy director for politico-military affairs for the Joint Staff, discussed the situation in Afghanistan, the retrograde movement of U.S. forces from the country and what the future relationship with the government will look like during their House testimony.
https://www.defencetalk.com/defense-officials-explain-us-policy-strategy-in-afghanistan-76968/
