Military blindsided by Afghan statement

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military was blindsided Thursday by President Donald Trump’s assertion that all U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, with U.S. officials saying they’re not aware of such a plan and have gotten no actual order to accelerate the more gradual pullout they’ve been executing.

Trump’s comments, laid out in comments and a tweet, alarmed Pentagon and State officials who fear putting a definitive date on troop withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalize a peace deal between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

They also fear a hasty withdrawal could force the U.S. to leave behind sensitive military equipment. And they continue to stress the Taliban still have not met requirements to reduce violence against the Afghans, a key element of the U.S. withdrawal plan.

The Taliban welcomed Trump’s announcements, which started with a tweet Wednesday saying that “we should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas.”

He reinforced early withdrawal plans Thursday morning, in a Fox Business Channel interview that understated the number of troops currently in Afghanistan.

“We’re down to 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. I’ll have them home by the end of the year. They’re coming home, you know, as we speak. Nineteen years is enough. They’re acting as policemen, OK? They’re not acting as troops,” Trump said.

Multiple U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they know of no plan for either new deadline.

Instead, they pointed to comments Wednesday by national security adviser Robert O’brien, who told an audience in Las Vegas that “as of today, there are under 5,000 and that will go to 2,500 by early next year.”

The military also consistently has said counterterrorism troops will remain in Afghanistan for some time to deal with al-qaida and Islamic State threats.

An administration official said Trump, with his tweet, laid down a marker Wednesday on U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and since he is the commander in chief, the rest of the administration will follow his lead.

The official also spoke on condition of anonymity.

America’s exit from Afghanistan after 19 years was laid out in a February agreement Washington reached with the Taliban.

That agreement said U.S. troops would be out of Afghanistan in 18 months, provided the Taliban honored a commitment to fight terrorist groups, with most attention seemingly focused on the ISIS affiliate in the country.

The Taliban and the Afghan government-appointed negotiating team are holding peace talks in Doha, Qatar, but progress has been slow.