US President Donald Trump has reportedly "lost all patience" and ordered the Pentagon to look into options to cut down the 14,000-strong US contingent in Afghanistan, defying his generals' advice, according to multiple media.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated over the Afghan stalemate, pushing for the end of the 17-year-long US campaign in the country in the past several weeks, ABC News reported, citing a US official.
"What are we doing there. We've been there all these years," Trump reportedly told an ally at a meeting on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The same day Trump is said to have discussed the potential pullout or a considerable reduction of the US force with his outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his hawkish national security adviser John Bolton.
The commander-in-chief, however, has not found support for his withdrawal plan, according to ABC. Hours before the deliberations have been reported by US media, Mattis handed in his resignation letter, citing differences in views with the President.
There have been conflicting reports over when the potential pullout can take place.
While ABC News, citing a US official, reported that the troops might be leaving the war-torn country "in the coming weeks,"NBC News, citing two other defense officials, said no concrete decision has yet been made and that the Pentagon is likely to present its report "shortly after the new year."
The reports come at a time a part of the American public and even Trump's allies in the Republican Party have been incensed over his decision to withdraw some 2,000 American troops stationed in Syria after declaring "victory" over Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) there.
https://www.rt.com/news/447093-us-troops-withdrawl-afghanistan/
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