Final “surge” troops leave Afghanistan

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:37:00 +0000

The last of the 33,000 "surge" troops ordered into Afghanistan by President Barack Obama more than three years ago have withdrawn from the country, returning the U.S. presence to pre-surge levels.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the surge had accomplished "its objectives of reversing the Taliban momentum on the battlefield and dramatically [increasing] the size and capability of the Afghan national security forces."

Calling it a "very important milestone," Panetta said he believed the United States was on track to accomplishing its goals in Afghanistan.

Panetta said the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, "is saying that the force he has put in place is sufficient to accomplish that mission."

The withdrawal, which leaves 68,000 American forces in the warzone, comes as the security transition to Afghan forces is in trouble, threatened by a spike in so-called "insider attacks" in which Afghan army and police troops, or insurgents dressed in their uniforms, have been attacking and killing U.S. and Nato forces.

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Final “surge” troops leave Afghanistan