Originally published Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 12:00 AM
U.S. to reduce forces in Afghanistan in '06
U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan will be reduced by about 3,500 next spring, thanks to increased NATO forces and a growing Afghan army...
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan will be reduced by about 3,500 next spring, thanks to increased NATO forces and a growing Afghan army, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
The announcement, representing the first major reduction in U.S. troop strength there since late last year, launches what is expected to be a gradual decline in troop levels that will also include reductions in U.S. forces in Iraq.
Defense Department officials have said the Pentagon is expected to announce soon that the deployment of at least portions of two brigades scheduled to go to Iraq will be canceled.
Defense officials said Tuesday that the 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division will not go to Afghanistan in March as initially planned. Instead, one battalion-sized force will go to southern Afghanistan in mid-2006, to help in the transition of that region to NATO control, with the rest of the 4th Brigade ready to deploy if needed.
The reduction would bring U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to about 16,500.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed the deployment orders Monday. He said senior commanders, including Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command, had recommended scaling back.
Rumsfeld said the reduction in U.S. forces in Afghanistan will mean a slight drop in the amount of normal security operations, such as road patrols. But it will not reduce the U.S. capacity to hunt for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters.
The changes were described earlier this month by Pentagon officials who requested anonymity because the plans were not finalized.
Troop levels in Afghanistan peaked at 20,300 in April 2004, dropped to about 16,500 by the end of last year, and then increased to about 20,000, earlier this year.
Rumsfeld doubts
bin Laden's
in command
![]()
CHAKLALA AIR BASE, Pakistan — Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he doubts that Osama bin Laden is in position to command the al-Qaida terror network.
Rumsfeld, who arrived today for an unannounced visit to Pakistan, said he found it interesting that bin Laden has not been heard from publicly in nearly a year.
"I don't know what it means," Rumsfeld told a group of reporters traveling with him. "I suspect that in any event, if he's alive and functioning that he's probably spending a major fraction of his time trying to avoid getting caught. I have trouble believing that he's able to operate sufficiently to be in a position of major command over a worldwide al-Qaida operation, but I could be wrong. We just don't know."
UPDATE - 10:01 AM
Rebels tighten hold on Libya oil port
UPDATE - 09:29 AM
Reality leads US to temper its tough talk on Libya
UPDATE - 09:38 AM
2 Ark. injection wells may be closed amid quakes
Armed guards save Dutch couple from Somali pirates

Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Electronics
just listed
***Stunning Akc POMERANIAN baby girl W/ FUL...
12 U Select Baseball Coach Wanted
1994 WIn 1901
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
434 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming
346 - Sheriff's office unhappy with 911 dispatcher in caseworker's call
282 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
235 - Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement
210 - Oregon live game thread
153 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - Lakewood cop accused of taking donations for slain officers' families
114 - Department of Justice owes the Seattle Police Department an apology
88 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
72
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- A wandering gene's destructive path | Book review
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
- UW opening incubator facility for startups
- Controversial principal at Lowell Elementary takes job in Tacoma
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
