US to base hundreds of troops outside Afghanistan
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Tuesday that “some hundreds” of U.S. forces — in addition to the 8,400 that President Barack Obama announced would stay in the country last week — will be based outside Afghanistan, but will be ready to quickly deploy into the warzone if needed.
The decision to place troops outside the country raises questions about the actual reduction in troop totals, since any number of the hundreds could be moved quickly in and out of the country on any given day.
Army Gen. John Nicholson told reporters that about 400 of the forces deployed outside Afghanistan will be part of the U.S. commitment to the NATO advise-and-assist mission.
“I’m very comfortable with them being where they are and we can call them forward if necessary, and we can reach back for support,” Nicholson told reporters at a briefing during Defence Secretary Ash Carter’s visit to Afghanistan Tuesday. “I’m very comfortable that we’re going to be able to accomplish both of those missions with this level of manning. And it provides me all the capabilities that I need to get the job done.”