U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Shawn Cole provides security during a patrol in the Garmsir district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, April 30, 2011. Cole is assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. A female engagement team accompanied the patrol with the purpose of interacting with the female population and identifying the needs of the women in the area. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Colby BrownUS To Withdraw 70,000 Troops From Afghanistan In Next Three Years In Favour Of Special Forces -- The Telegraph
America would withdraw 70,000 troops from Afghanistan over the next three years and rely increasingly on special forces to lead operations in plans being discussed by the White House.
Commandos would continue missions to kill or capture insurgents and to train Afghan forces while conventional troops begin leaving in July according to reports.
The plan is being debated as commanders are said to be proposing Barack Obama begin the withdrawal by pulling out up to 10,000 troops by the end of this year.
The commander of British forces in Afghanistan warned on Tuesday that the Taliban will exploit a power vacuum in Afghanistan after the 2014 security handover to local forces and that the West must not abandon the country.
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My Comment: I am skeptical that the conditions on the ground will warrant such a withdrawal. To put it bluntly .... from where I am standing .... I have yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel.