[ad_1]
Trump, a former U.S. Special Forces officer and counterterrorism expert, appointed him to head the Defense Department after firing Mark Esper.
Trump, who lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the November 3 election, has been making tireless efforts to withdraw US forces from the two countries since he took office four years ago.
Any such step must take place within 66 days – that is, before Biden takes office on January 20.
Esper had reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan by about two-thirds in the wake of a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban on February 29.
But he said he would keep many at 4,500 after this month, until the Taliban, who are negotiating with the government in Kabul, pledged to reduce violence as promised.
Trump, however, sought further troop reduction, writing in a tweet that he wanted the troops to return. "Come home at Christmas" December 25.
His national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, had announced that the goal was to reduce the number to 2,500 soldiers by February.
But critics say this prevents any influence on the Taliban insurgents to stop the relentless attacks, amid little progress in peace talks with the Afghan government.
“>
“All wars must end,” Miller said, in his first message to the US military since President Donald Trump named him acting secretary of defense on Monday.
He stressed that the United States is determined to defeat al Qaeda, 19 years after the September 11 attacks on the United States, and that it is “on the verge of defeating” the organization.
“Many are tired of war and I am one of them,” he wrote in a letter dated Friday, but published early Saturday morning, on the Defense Ministry website.
“But it is the critical stage where we transform our efforts from a leadership role to a supportive one,” he added.
He continued: “Ending wars requires concessions and partnerships. We faced the challenge. We did everything we could. Now is the time to go home.”
Miller did not specifically mention the location of the troop deployment, but the reference to al-Qaeda seemed to hint at Afghanistan and Iraq, where the United States sent troops in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Trump, a former U.S. Special Forces officer and counterterrorism expert, appointed him to head the Defense Department after firing Mark Esper.
Trump, who lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the Nov.3 election, has been making unremitting efforts to withdraw US forces from the two countries since he took office four years ago.
Any such step must take place within 66 days – that is, before Biden takes office on January 20.
Esper had reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan by about two-thirds in the wake of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban on February 29.
But he said he would keep many at 4,500 after this month, until the Taliban, who are negotiating with the government in Kabul, pledged to reduce violence as promised.
Trump, however, sought further troop reduction, writing in a tweet that he wanted the soldiers to “go home before Christmas” on December 25.
His national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, had announced that the goal was to reduce the number to 2,500 soldiers by February.
But critics say this prevents any influence on the Taliban insurgents to stop the relentless attacks, amid little progress in peace talks with the Afghan government.
[ad_2]
