Dem: 10K troops should stay in Afghanistan

A senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee says 10,000 U.S. troops should remain in Afghanistan to help counter the Taliban’s effort to regain control.  

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) did not say how long that force should stay in the country in an interview on CNN’s “Wolf” on Tuesday, but predicted the struggle against jihadist violence would “last decades more into the future.”

“Afghanistan is just one of the many battlefields,” Sherman said. 

{mosads}”If we ignore the Middle East, the Middle East will still not ignore us,” he added.

The Taliban on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed six U.S. troops conducting a patrol around Bagram Air Base. 

Although President Obama announced the end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan a year ago on Dec. 28, continuing violence in the country has necessitated U.S. troops in battle.  

It has also forced the administration to alter its drawdown plans once this year. 

The president’s plan was to draw down to 5,500 U.S. troops by the end of this year, and down to an embassy presence of about 1,000 next year. 

Now, most of the current 9,800 U.S. troops will remain for most of 2016, drawing down to 5,500 by the end of next year.