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U.S. Troop Reduction Requires Focus On Counter Terrorism Training And Anti-Terrorism Training

By Dan Sommer

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 28Jul2011 Word count: 527 Viewed: 124 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

With the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, U.S. politicians and citizens have been calling for an end to the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Recently, President Obama announced a new troop draw down policy in Afghanistan. After having a military presence in the country for over a decade, the new U.S. policy aims to reduce troops gradually and to completely end combat operations by 2014. U.S. presence in Afghanistan will thus take more of an advisory/educational role with a significant emphasis on counter terrorism training as well as long lasting anti-terrorism training for Afghan government officials, military personnel, and other citizens. This essay provides an overview of this new policy, along with an explanation of the transition to a focus in counter terrorism training within the war-torn country.

New Afghanistan Policy

In mid June 2011, President Obama unveiled a new Afghanistan policy. He declared an immediate reduction of 10,000 troops in two phases, with the eventual withdrawal of all 33,000 "surge" troops by 2012. He also declared that America's "longest war" would draw to a close by 2014. After the initial troop withdrawal, Obama mentioned that the U.S. will slowly change its role from one of combat to one of support and training for Afghan civilians, military, and government officials.

"We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely," Obama said. "That is the responsibility of the Afghanistan government, which must step up its ability to protect its people, and move from an economy shaped by war to one that can sustain a lasting peace." Obama also mentioned that "what we can do, and will do, is build a partnership with the Afghan people that endures - one that ensures that we will be able to continue targeting terrorists and supporting a sovereign Afghanistan."

Focus on counter terrorism training

In order to stave off the threat of terrorism, however, Afghans must be trained in counter terrorism and anti-terrorism training measures so that they can continue to protect their own lives and those elsewhere. While the U.S. military will leave Afghanistan, the U.S. State Department, which along with USAID includes over 1300 officials in Afghanistan alone, will continue to help Afghans in development issues, including the rule of law. In its new role as a training partner, the U.S. military will focus on counter-terrorism training for the Afghan military and civilians. In addition, the Afghans will also be educated in anti-terrorism measures. Anti-terrorism training is a strategic or more long- term effort towards ending terrorism by focusing on root causes and changing the environment which fosters terrorism. Anti- terrorism strategies include gathering information, promoting discussion of terrorism causes, conducting civil litigation against terrorists, and building up social institutions to accomplish these functions.

By focusing on both anti-terrorism and counter terrorism training, U.S. civilians and military will help enable Afghans to develop both institutions and practices to protect themselves and to prevent further manipulation of their country by terrorist actors. In this way, Afghans will no longer need to rely upon U.S. military support to combat terrorism.

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