President Barack Obama’s nominee for Defence Secretary on Wednesday said he would consider changing the current plans for withdrawing all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if security conditions worsen in the war-torn country. “I understand we have a plan. The President has a plan (on Afghanistan). I support that plan (on drawdown of troops). At the same time, it’s a plan. If I’m confirmed, and I ascertain as the years go by that we need to change that plan, I will recommend those changes to the President,” Ashton Carter told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Carter was responding to a question from Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Do you believe that it should be calendar based, as it is now, or should we be looking at the conditions on the ground to base those decisionsIJ’ the Senator asked. “The campaign in Afghanistan has been close to my heart for all the time that I’ve been associated with the Department of Defence. I’ve been there a number of times. I think that success is possible there, but, requires the United States to continue its campaign and finish the job,” Carter said.
“Yes” he said when asked if security conditions on the ground in Afghanistan degrade in 2016, would he consider recommending to the President revisions to the size and pace of the drawdown plan announced by the President in order to adequately address those security conditions.