BRUSSELS: Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan sought to reassure fearful Nato allies on Thursday that any possible US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan shall be carried out in a coordinated fashion, which might calm European concern about a precipitous drawdown.
US officers have held a number of rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since final yr, in what is broadly noticed as essentially the most critical bid for peace within the 17-year struggle.
Both the hardline Islamist motion and the United States hailed growth after the end of the final spherical of negotiations final month, even supposing Western diplomats conversant in discussions say that many tricky hurdles lie forward.
Shanahan mentioned he instructed his Nato counterparts that the US-led alliance would work together to extend what he referred to as diplomatic leverage over the Taliban as the West seeks a political agreement.
"There will be no unilateral troop reduction, it will be coordinated," Shanahan instructed reporters following his first assembly of Nato protection ministers after his predecessor give up in December. "We came out of here much stronger and coordinated."
In his State of the Union deal with final week, President Donald Trump mentioned growth in negotiations with the Taliban would permit a discount within the roughly 14,000 US troops these days in Afghanistan and a renewed center of attention on counter terrorism.
Taliban negotiators will meet their US counterparts on Feb 18 in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.
US officers have instructed Reuters the military is making plans what a withdrawal of about part of the 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan would seem like.
That has raised considerations about whether or not a smaller pressure would have the ability to fortify the Afghan military and whether or not different European armies that depend on American helicopters and different tools would pull out.
Concern used to be also fueled via Trump's abrupt announcement final yr that he would withdraw US forces from Syria.
Despite public fatigue in Western countries about their involvement within the 17-year battle, European governments together with Germany are wary of taking flight from Afghanistan earlier than a peace handle Taliban militants is reached.
Many worry seeing the country cave in after which having to send troops back in once more to handle a new threat.
US particular envoy Zalmay Khalilzad briefed Nato envoys on Monday about his push to agree a political agreement and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg promised the alliance would draw down its military presence together if a deal used to be agreed.
Shanahan echoed that.
"We work together, President Trump said it is an opportunity for peace ... so what we talked about was how do we double down in our support for an Afghan national defense and security forces to put even more pressure on the Taliban," he instructed reporters.
"I feel really good about our alignment I feel we are creating the diplomatic leverage that Ambassador Khalilzad needs."
The US troops in Afghanistan are a part of a Nato-led venture referred to as Resolute Support, and a US counter-terrorism venture in large part directed towards teams similar to Islamic State and al-Qaida.
Some eight,000 troops from 38 different countries are collaborating in Resolute Support.
US officers have held a number of rounds of talks with the Taliban in Qatar since final yr, in what is broadly noticed as essentially the most critical bid for peace within the 17-year struggle.
Both the hardline Islamist motion and the United States hailed growth after the end of the final spherical of negotiations final month, even supposing Western diplomats conversant in discussions say that many tricky hurdles lie forward.
Shanahan mentioned he instructed his Nato counterparts that the US-led alliance would work together to extend what he referred to as diplomatic leverage over the Taliban as the West seeks a political agreement.
"There will be no unilateral troop reduction, it will be coordinated," Shanahan instructed reporters following his first assembly of Nato protection ministers after his predecessor give up in December. "We came out of here much stronger and coordinated."
In his State of the Union deal with final week, President Donald Trump mentioned growth in negotiations with the Taliban would permit a discount within the roughly 14,000 US troops these days in Afghanistan and a renewed center of attention on counter terrorism.
Taliban negotiators will meet their US counterparts on Feb 18 in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.
US officers have instructed Reuters the military is making plans what a withdrawal of about part of the 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan would seem like.
That has raised considerations about whether or not a smaller pressure would have the ability to fortify the Afghan military and whether or not different European armies that depend on American helicopters and different tools would pull out.
Concern used to be also fueled via Trump's abrupt announcement final yr that he would withdraw US forces from Syria.
Despite public fatigue in Western countries about their involvement within the 17-year battle, European governments together with Germany are wary of taking flight from Afghanistan earlier than a peace handle Taliban militants is reached.
Many worry seeing the country cave in after which having to send troops back in once more to handle a new threat.
US particular envoy Zalmay Khalilzad briefed Nato envoys on Monday about his push to agree a political agreement and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg promised the alliance would draw down its military presence together if a deal used to be agreed.
Shanahan echoed that.
"We work together, President Trump said it is an opportunity for peace ... so what we talked about was how do we double down in our support for an Afghan national defense and security forces to put even more pressure on the Taliban," he instructed reporters.
"I feel really good about our alignment I feel we are creating the diplomatic leverage that Ambassador Khalilzad needs."
The US troops in Afghanistan are a part of a Nato-led venture referred to as Resolute Support, and a US counter-terrorism venture in large part directed towards teams similar to Islamic State and al-Qaida.
Some eight,000 troops from 38 different countries are collaborating in Resolute Support.
US vows to coordinate with allies on any Afghanistan pullout
![US vows to coordinate with allies on any Afghanistan pullout]()
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February 14, 2019
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