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US to end afghan combat role in 2013: Panetta
South Asian News Agency (SANA) ⋅ February 2, 2012 ⋅
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US to end afghan combat role in 2013: Panetta
WASHINTON (SANA): The United States plans to end its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2013 and shift to a training role, one year before most US troops are due to withdraw, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.
Although US commanders had already indicated a move towards an advisory mission in coming months, Panettas comments marked the first time the US administration had forecast American and allied troops could end their combat operations by the second half of next year.
Hopefully by the mid-to-latter part of 2013, well be able to make a transition from a combat role to a train, advise and assist role, Panetta told reporters aboard his plane en route to a NATO meeting in Brussels.
Panetta portrayed the approach as in keeping with a gradual NATO plan adopted in Lisbon in November 2010, which calls for handing over security duties to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.
Despite the goal of ending the combat mission next year, the United States had no plans to move up the 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of American and coalition forces, Panetta said.
The NATO alliance had agreed on the 2014 timeline and I think we ought to stick with that, he said.
As for stepping back from a combat role, Panetta said: Everybody assumed that there would come a time, as we move towards the end of 2014, that we would be transitioning that role.
He added: And thats basically what we did in Iraq. And its what were going to try to do in Afghanistan.
After a decade of war, Washington has vowed to withdraw combat forces battling the Taliban by the end of 2014 but has left the door open to a follow-on force focused on training, depending on the outcome of negotiations with the Afghan government.
Panetta said such a future force could include a counter-terrorism mission to strike extremists, along with standard training efforts.
He said Washington wanted to see all the NATO allies in Afghanistan including France respect the NATO timeline.
We all went in here together and well all go out together, but we have to do it on the basis of a strong alliance and a strong commitment that was made in Lisbon, said Panetta, who was due to meet NATO defense ministers on Thursday.
He said 2013 would be a crucial year for the final transfer of remaining areas to Afghan security forces and 2014 becomes a year of consolidating the transition.
It was unclear how the planned shift from combat to a mainly advisory role would affect US troop levels.
With nearly 90,000 US troops now in Afghanistan, Panetta said that no decision has been made with regards to the level of forces well have in 2013.
By the end of September, the number of US troops is due to drop to 68,000, following the scheduled withdrawal of a surge force that deployed in 2010.
The Pentagon chief sought to play down the effect of last months surprise announcement from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to withdraw French combat forces in 2013, a year earlier than planned under the NATO strategy.
With regards to France, I understand why they made their decision, he said.
Despite the French withdrawal plans, he said he was pleased that Paris had indicated it would retain a longer-term military presence with troops training and advising Afghan forces.
A senior US defense official told reporters it was possible that there was no serious gap between the French stance and NATOs timeline, depending on the precise details of what Paris planned.
I think the discussions will reveal whether theres a serious difference or not, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It was unclear how the planned shift from combat to a mainly advisory role would affect planned troop levels for US forces.
With nearly 90,000 US troops now in Afghanistan, Panetta said that no decision has been made with regards to the level of forces we ll have in 2013.
By the end of September, the number of US troops is due to drop to 68,000, following the scheduled withdrawal of a surge force that deployed in 2010.
US to end afghan combat role in 2013: Panetta | World | South Asian News Agency
---------- Post added at 12:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:53 AM ----------
so they are going next year what is the future now?
South Asian News Agency (SANA) ⋅ February 2, 2012 ⋅
Share/Save
US to end afghan combat role in 2013: Panetta
WASHINTON (SANA): The United States plans to end its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2013 and shift to a training role, one year before most US troops are due to withdraw, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.
Although US commanders had already indicated a move towards an advisory mission in coming months, Panettas comments marked the first time the US administration had forecast American and allied troops could end their combat operations by the second half of next year.
Hopefully by the mid-to-latter part of 2013, well be able to make a transition from a combat role to a train, advise and assist role, Panetta told reporters aboard his plane en route to a NATO meeting in Brussels.
Panetta portrayed the approach as in keeping with a gradual NATO plan adopted in Lisbon in November 2010, which calls for handing over security duties to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.
Despite the goal of ending the combat mission next year, the United States had no plans to move up the 2014 deadline for the withdrawal of American and coalition forces, Panetta said.
The NATO alliance had agreed on the 2014 timeline and I think we ought to stick with that, he said.
As for stepping back from a combat role, Panetta said: Everybody assumed that there would come a time, as we move towards the end of 2014, that we would be transitioning that role.
He added: And thats basically what we did in Iraq. And its what were going to try to do in Afghanistan.
After a decade of war, Washington has vowed to withdraw combat forces battling the Taliban by the end of 2014 but has left the door open to a follow-on force focused on training, depending on the outcome of negotiations with the Afghan government.
Panetta said such a future force could include a counter-terrorism mission to strike extremists, along with standard training efforts.
He said Washington wanted to see all the NATO allies in Afghanistan including France respect the NATO timeline.
We all went in here together and well all go out together, but we have to do it on the basis of a strong alliance and a strong commitment that was made in Lisbon, said Panetta, who was due to meet NATO defense ministers on Thursday.
He said 2013 would be a crucial year for the final transfer of remaining areas to Afghan security forces and 2014 becomes a year of consolidating the transition.
It was unclear how the planned shift from combat to a mainly advisory role would affect US troop levels.
With nearly 90,000 US troops now in Afghanistan, Panetta said that no decision has been made with regards to the level of forces well have in 2013.
By the end of September, the number of US troops is due to drop to 68,000, following the scheduled withdrawal of a surge force that deployed in 2010.
The Pentagon chief sought to play down the effect of last months surprise announcement from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to withdraw French combat forces in 2013, a year earlier than planned under the NATO strategy.
With regards to France, I understand why they made their decision, he said.
Despite the French withdrawal plans, he said he was pleased that Paris had indicated it would retain a longer-term military presence with troops training and advising Afghan forces.
A senior US defense official told reporters it was possible that there was no serious gap between the French stance and NATOs timeline, depending on the precise details of what Paris planned.
I think the discussions will reveal whether theres a serious difference or not, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
It was unclear how the planned shift from combat to a mainly advisory role would affect planned troop levels for US forces.
With nearly 90,000 US troops now in Afghanistan, Panetta said that no decision has been made with regards to the level of forces we ll have in 2013.
By the end of September, the number of US troops is due to drop to 68,000, following the scheduled withdrawal of a surge force that deployed in 2010.
US to end afghan combat role in 2013: Panetta | World | South Asian News Agency
---------- Post added at 12:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:53 AM ----------
so they are going next year what is the future now?