French President defends Afghan withdrawal strategy calling it a “sovereign decision” U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says no need for U.S. forces on the ground in Yemen
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Whatsapp
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • According to reports, the new French President Francois Hollande on May 25, 2012 defended France’s imminent exit from Afghanistan, saying 2,000 combat troops will leave in a coordinated withdrawal this year but vowing not to abandon the country. Hollande met French soldiers deployed in the volatile Kapisa province of Afghanistan and held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on his first visit to the country where French troops have been fighting the Taliban since late 2001. He explained his decision to recall French combat troops by the end of 2012, a year earlier than Paris initially planned and two years before NATO allies. “It’s a sovereign decision. Only France can decide what France does,” he told soldiers at Nijrab Base in eastern Kapisa province, where most of France’s 3,550 troops in the country are based. “It will be conducted in good understanding with our allies, especially President Obama, who understands the reasons, and in close consultation with Afghan authorities.” 1
    Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on May 27 that the United States can deal with al-Qaida’s spreading presence in Yemen without U.S. forces on the ground, relying instead on targeted operations. “Our whole effort there is aimed at going after those terrorists who threaten to attack our country,” he said. “We’ve been successful. We’ve gone after a number of key targets there. We’ll continue to do that.” He added. 2

    Top