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In Afghanistan, US Troops Begin to Withdraw

The first of them left this week

By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 15, 2011 6:16 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama's troop drawdown has begun: About 650 troops left after their rotations ended Wednesday, and they will not be replaced. "As part of the drawdown the first US troops have left Afghanistan," says a military spokesperson. About a third of the 100,000 US forces in the country will leave during the next year under Obama's plan, with the first 10,000 scheduled to come home by the end of this year, Reuters reports.

A US soldier with Task Force Red Horse carries his baggage to the customs office to be checked, as he leaves Afghanistan at the US base in Bagram, north of Kabul, Afghanistan on July 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

US soldiers get in to a US military plane, as they leave Afghanistan, at the US base in Bagram, north of Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday, July 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

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Showing 3 of 9 comments

Non-deep-thinker

Jul 15, 2011 8:39 PM CDT

The beginning of the Surge is being withdrawn, nothing more. In a couple years, we will have drastically reduced the number of troops in Afghanistan down to the regular number of troops we are fighting this war with. That's if all goes well. And that's in a couple of years. This should fool most of the people, just in time for the election. It's like one of those Escher prints where you keep withdrawing troops and withdawing troops and at the end, the troops are still there. It's like a little magic trick. Whoever is in charge of this has a real contempt for the intelligence of the American people.

JoeQ

Jul 15, 2011 6:41 PM CDT

Nice photo-op, but all that matters is the total numbers.

AustinFound

Jul 15, 2011 6:40 PM CDT

It's a start, like writing your name at the top of an exam.

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In Afghanistan, US Troops Begin to Withdraw

The first of them left this week

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • US troops • troop withdrawal • drawdown • draw down • troop drawdown • Afghanistan war • American troops

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More Newser Stories

France Backs Obama's Afghan Drawdown, Plans Its Own

Sarkozy has 4,000 troops there

US Troops Mark Memorial Day in Iraq, Afghanistan

Soldiers honor fallen comrades

US Troops in Afghanistan to Get 'Guardian Angels'

...who will watch over them as they sleep. Literally

US Support for Afghan War Plummets

69% say US shouldn't be there

Eastern Afghanistan the 'Final Battleground'

Troops organize for tough spring fighting

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