2,000 french troops aren't going to make or break afghanistan, but it could start a chain reaction of countries precipitously pulling their forces out of the country. it is president's fault that we are going to get left holding the bag; his utter lack of a clear commitment didn't just send a signal to our enemies, it sent a signal to our allies as well.
and it is sweet irony that his fellow traveler is going to knock over the first domino.
President says all French troops to leave Afghanistan in 2012 May 25, 2012: French President Francois Hollande review troops at Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Nijrab, Kapisa region, Afghanistan, where most of French troops are stationed in Afghanistan. (AP)
KABUL, Afghanistan – All French combat troops will pull out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, France's new president said in Kabul Friday, but some trainers will remain to help Afghanistan's nascent security forces.
Francois Hollande said that France's troops have carried out their mission in Afghanistan and it is time for them to leave, an early pullout that will be coordinated with the United States and other allies.
"There will be no combat troops" after the end of the year, Hollande said during a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Hollande flew to Afghanistan to meet with troops and to discuss plans with Karzai to withdraw French combat troops more than a year earlier than scheduled. His visit was not announced ahead of time for security reasons, and he was expected to depart shortly after the news conference.
Hollande said that France will withdraw its 2,000 combat troops, out of a total of 3,400 troops and 150 gendarmes, by the end of the year. Some would stay behind to help send military equipment back to France, and others would help train the Afghan army and police. He did not provide a breakdown for the roles of the 1,400 soldiers who will remain past 2012 or how long they would stay.
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