Kabul: We're Ready for U.S. Drawdown

The Associated Press reports:

Afghanistan's NATO-trained military is ready to take responsibility for fighting Taliban insurgents and securing key parts of the country that will be the first to transition as the U.S. begins a troop drawdown in July, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

Many Afghans are eager to see an American departure nearly 10 years after U.S. forces invaded to oust al-Qaida's Taliban hosts from power, and President Barack Obama is expected to announce plans later Wednesday to bring roughly 10,000 American troops home in less than a year.

But the drawdown, before a full pullout by 2014, carries enormous risks for a U.S.-allied government still beset by attacks from Taliban and other insurgents.

"There will be some battles, there will be suicide attacks, and bomb attacks," said Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi said of the coming transition period. "But we in the Afghan forces are prepared to replace the foreign forces and I'm confident the army has enough capacity and ability."