The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan in mid-October to present a plan for the initial withdrawal of U.S. troops, decisions may depend in part on the recent outbreak of attacks continue throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said the commanders agreed that the Taliban leaders can leave their fighters in the country to try to recover the ground lost during the Islamic holy period that begins Monday.
Speaking to reporters traveling with him in Afghanistan, Mullen said Marine Gen. John Allen, who has just taken over as the top U.S. commander here, it's time to assess the requirements of combat, training, and others, before presenting a detailed plan retreat.
Mullen's comments the first time, the period referred to Allen, 10 000 analyzes the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of the year, as announced by President Barack Obama.
"The next months will be very telling," said Mullen, and notes that often go back to Taliban leaders in Pakistan in the month of Ramadan. It is not clear at this point, what they are doing, or if there is a decrease in the fighting.
A Western official said that while the Taliban leaders have been pushing for an increase in violence throughout Ramadan, the data suggest that there will be some points, but do not have the ability to override a sustained expansion. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said some officers and soldiers had left Afghanistan to cross the border into Pakistan, but it is too early to say how many can stay.
Mullen, who arrived Friday in Afghanistan, met Saturday with the commanders in southern Afghanistan. Sunday traveled in the East.
He said that so far the commanders say they see few signs of improving safety, but his comments came in the midst of the spectacular series of deadly attacks throughout the South between Sunday bombing outside the main gate of the police headquarters in the southern town of Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan. Suicide bomber kills at least 11 people in the city where the Afghans had recently taken control of security.
The attack comes on the heels of the attacks in the southern province of Uruzgan, killing at least 19 people and assassinate the mayor of Kandahar.
The mayor is the third leader in southern Afghanistan to be murdered in the last three weeks.
There are about 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Under the plan to withdraw troops from Obama, 10,000 U.S. troops leave Afghanistan later this year, and 23,000 on the other end of the summer.
Key revocation is an ongoing effort to train Afghan forces, so that they can manage their own security. Mullen said that while education remains a high priority, and the commanders would like to speed it up, it is unclear how this will be possible in the coming months.
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