Nominee To Head US Afghan Force OKs Drawdown

The Associated Press reports:

The man tapped to take over as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan endorsed the size and pace of the more than 30,000-troop withdrawal laid out by President Barack Obama last week, despite other commanders' worries that it's too risky and aggressive.

Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen said the drawdown will impress on Afghan leaders that they must urgently grow their own security forces to take over as U.S. troops leave.

In a questionnaire prepared for the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday on his nomination to take the command post, Allen warned, however, that success in Afghanistan is threatened by a significant lack of military trainers and mentoring teams for the Afghan Army and police.

Allen's hearing comes less than a week after Obama laid out his plan to withdraw 10,000 troops by the end of this year, and another 20,000-plus by the end of next September.