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Pentagon Silent on Trump Tweet Calling for Full Afghan Exit by December 25

Carla Babb

   WASHINGTON - The Pentagon offered no additional details on Afghanistan
   Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump tweeted that all U.S.
   forces'¯in the South Asian nation should return home before the end of
   the year.

   "We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women
   serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!" Trump tweeted shortly before
   the vice -presidential debate Wednesday night.

     We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women
     serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [1]October 7, 2020

   Spokespersons for Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs Chairman
   General Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees
   military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment and
   referred VOA to the White House. Esper did not answer questions on an
   Afghan withdrawal during a Pentagon event Thursday.

   One military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told VOA the
   president's tweet was the "first word" anyone had seen about an
   accelerated withdrawal timeline in Afghanistan, and his office was
   "awaiting instructions" from the Pentagon's policy team to "provide
   more guidance."

   Trump has called U.S. combat engagements overseas "ridiculous, stupid,
   endless, foreign wars," and his recent tweet, if implemented, would
   fulfill his long-held campaign promise to get the United States out of
   Afghanistan. Most Americans also [2]support bringing U.S. forces home.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313984510749544450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://www.voanews.com/usa/majority-americans-support-trumps-deal-taliban-end-afghan-war

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