Twenty former top ranking officials and two key lawmakers from both parties are calling on the US and its NATO partners to maintain troop levels in Afghanistan “at or close to present levels.”
The recommendations come through endorsements of an Atlantic Council paper released Wednesday, according to The New York Times.
“The main argument of the paper, which was written by James B. Cunningham, a former ambassador to Afghanistan, centers on the need to continue helping Afghan forces, and to give the next American administration as much flexibility as possible,” the paper stated.
The report was sponsored, most notably, by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair John McCain (R-Ariz.) its ranking member, Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and former cabinet officials. Clinton Administration Secretary of State Madeline Albright endorsed the policy paper; as did President George W. Bush national security adviser Stephen Hadley, and two of President Obama’s own Defense Secretaries: Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta.
Four former US ambassadors to Afghanistan also gave the report their approval.
The Obama administration is currently rethinking its Afghanistan withdrawal plans. Under the current timetable, at the start of next year, the US will order home all but about 1,000 troops needed to guard the US embassy in Kabul.
It became apparent in July that President Obama was beginning to rethink his policy when administration officials testifying before congressional committees bashed the White House’s own timetable.
Read The Times’ story on Afghanistan withdrawal plans here.
