Pentagon Now In Charge of Troop Levels In Afghanistan

President Donald Trump has handed authority to increase troop levels in Afghanistan to the Pentagon, according to the Washington Post. The move mirrors one made in April, authorizing the Pentagon to increase troop levels in Syria and Iraq.

Commanders on the ground in Afghanistan have been requesting reinforcement for months, asking for "a few thousand more" troops. The Post reports current U.S. troop levels at approximately 8,400, with 5,000 additional NATO forces. The U.S. forces are split between two fronts, supporting Afghan troops in counterterrorism efforts and basic military operations.

The conflict has worn on for 15 years now. In a recent hearing in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testified that "we are not winning" in Afghanistan. When questioned about a long-term strategy, Mattis promised to present it to the Committee by mid-July. He insisted that it would look different than the last eight years, with a goal of long-term U.S. presence to support Afghan forces managing and containing local conflicts.

More than 2,000 U.S. troops have died in the conflict since 2001. In 2016 alone more than 3,000 Afghan civilians were killed. In the first eight months of 2016 Afghan troops lost more than 5,000, with 15,000 casualties in total, reports the Post.

Should Congress support the Pentagon’s strategy of increasing troops and a long term presence in Afghanistan? Use the Take Action button to tell your reps what you think!

Take Action

— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Creative Commons)