U.S. Plans Withdrawal of 7,000 Troops From Afghanistan, Official Says
- Decision emerges shortly after Mattis’s resignation letter
- Afghanistan is America’s longest war with about 2,300 killed
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The U.S. plans to dramatically cut troop levels in Afghanistan as President Donald Trump reshapes America’s foreign commitments and fulfills long-standing promises to bring military forces home.
The Pentagon will withdraw 7,000 of about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, according to a U.S. defense official. The decision emerged a day after Trump said he would pull U.S. forces from Syria, a move most of his national security team had opposed for months. And it comes as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced plans to resign, citing differences with Trump over the value of America’s alliances and leadership in the world.