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Afghan President Says U.S. Should 'Reexamine' Pullout Deadline


Afghan President Ashraf Ghani: "Deadlines concentrate the mind but deadlines should not be dogmas."
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani: "Deadlines concentrate the mind but deadlines should not be dogmas."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said in an interview with a U.S. television program that the United States might want to "reexamine" a timetable for withdrawing the remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Speaking on the CBS program 60 Minutes that aired on January 4, Ghani said, "Deadlines concentrate the mind but deadlines should not be dogmas."

"If both parties, or, in this case, multiple parties, have done their best to achieve the objectives and progress is very real, then there should be a willingness to reexamine a deadline," he added.

As of the start of this year, Afghan forces have taken over full responsibility for security in the country.

Of the once 140,000 foreign troops that were in Afghanistan, only about 13,000 remain under a two-year mission named Resolute Support to train Afghan troops.

Many inside and outside Afghanistan have expressed concerns about the ability of Afghan government forces to maintain control over the country.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa
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