US pullout from Afghanistan hinges on developing forces

WASHINGTON // The pace of US troop withdrawals from Afghanistan will headline Afghan president Ashraf Ghani’s visit to Washington, yet America’s exit from the war remains tightly hinged to the abilities of the Afghan forces that face a tough fight against insurgents this spring.

President Barack Obama has promised to end the longest US war –which began in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in 2001 – and get the remaining troops out of Afghanistan by the end of his presidency.

Deficiencies in the Afghan security forces, heavy casualties in the ranks of the army and police, a fragile new government and fears that ISIL fighters could gain a foothold in Afghanistan have persuaded Mr Obama to slow the withdrawal.

Instead of trimming the current US force of 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year, US military officials say the administration now might keep many of them there well into 2016.

Mr Obama had said that after that, the US would only maintain an embassy-based security force in Kabul of perhaps 1,000 troops. But on Friday, Jeff Eggers of the White House’s National Security Council said that too could be changed. He said the post-2016 plan will be considered on an on-going basis.

More than 1,300 members of the Afghan army were killed in action and another 6,200 were wounded in action between October 2013 and September 2014, according to a report this month from the special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction.

In nearly 14 years of fighting, at least 2,200 US military service men and women have been killed.

“They are now leading the fight, but they still need our support, and that support is critical to enabling them to hold the key cities ... and to hold off a still bubbling insurgency,” Michele Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, said last week.

Before leaving for Washington, Mr Ghani said Afghanistan faces a difficult spring in terms of security as the so-called “fighting season” with the Taliban begins.

Afghan leaders also worry that ISIL militants could push into the region and bring guns and money that would spark competition among insurgents disenchanted with the Taliban leadership.

Some Afghan militants have rebranded themselves with ISIL, raising its black flag and even clashing with Taliban fighters, officials say.

ISIL has not formally confirmed it is operating out of Afghanistan, though Pakistani and Afghan commanders have pledged their allegiance to the outfit in recent months.

Mr Ghani and his chief executive Abdullah Abdullah will have the opportunity to discuss the emergence of ISIL on their US visit.

*Associated Press and Agence France-Presse