2012 budget sees 98,250 troops in Afghanistan

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: Reuters

President Barack Obama has not yet announced how many troops he will withdraw from Afghanistan, but his budget request on Monday suggests several thousand soldiers could go home in the first year or so.

Pentagon officials say the pace and scale of the actual drawdown will depend on conditions on the ground and they refuse to give any definitive idea about the size of the initial withdrawal due to begin in July.

Still, Pentagon budget documents forecast the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will drop to an average of 98,250 in fiscal year 2012, compared to an average of 102,000 in fiscal 2011. Fiscal 2012 starts in October.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/14/us-usa-budget-afghanistan-idUSTRE71D5NH20110214

[somone]

1. 98,250 troops to fight 100 cave dwellers

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/06/cia-at-most-50100-al-qaeda-in-afghanistan.html

CIA: At most, 50-100 Al Qaeda in Afghanistan
June 27, 2010 9:29 AM

In an EXCLUSIVE interview on “This Week,” CIA Director Leon Panetta told host Jake Tapper that there were “at most” only 50-100 Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. “How many Al Qaeda, do you think, are in Afghanistan?” Tapper asked. “I think the estimate on the number of Al Qaeda is actually relatively small,” Panetta said. “At most, we’re looking at 50 to 100, maybe less. It’s in that vicinity. There’s no question that the main location of Al Qaeda is in the tribal areas of Pakistan.”

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. PLEASE keep posting that, every time the war budget is discussed.

It cannot be forgotten.

And that we supposedly went into Pakistan because Al'Kada fled there, leaving Afghanistan.
( except for the hordes of Al-Kada we invaded Yemen to find)

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. So, we are at peace with the Taliban?

[prairierose]

2. But what does that budget say about...

the private contractors? How many of those are they going to keep on?

[daa]

3. Wow under 100K that should help the deficit or will he cut

social security to keep troops there?