Sources: Half of U.S. troops in Afghanistan coming home in next year
U.S. Marines set out on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in June, 2012.
February 12th, 2013
08:49 AM ET

Sources: Half of U.S. troops in Afghanistan coming home in next year

President Barack Obama will announce in tonight's State of the Union address that, by this time next year, 34,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan will have returned home, sources tell CNN's Jake Tapper.

The return of those troops will reduce the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan by one half.

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Filed under: Afghanistan • Military
soundoff (18 Responses)
  1. smitvict

    He's spent more money and caused more death in Afghanistan than Bush. If you voted for him to stop the wars, you will be disappointed.

    February 12, 2013 at 8:57 am | Report abuse |
  2. V vasudeva rao

    Poor chaps , what they will do at home? They will unemployed killers. Pl take care of them. Otherwise , civilians will be in trouble

    February 12, 2013 at 9:07 am | Report abuse |
  3. EJ

    Don't believe everything you read. While they may be cutting US ground fighters they are still deploying US soldiers to train and observe Afghan forces. A WA based unit is leaving in March and my husband is scheduled to deploy July 2013 for 9 months.

    February 12, 2013 at 9:16 am | Report abuse |
  4. Patrick Lewis

    This, even if it leaves some things out, is nothing but a good thing. Yes, we still use drones, yes, we still train people, but we no longer are the Afghan police force and that can be nothing but good.

    February 12, 2013 at 9:27 am | Report abuse |
  5. wut

    Which half is coming home? The upper half? The bottom half? Are they to be split laterally? Mentally? Benefits? Wa?

    February 12, 2013 at 9:48 am | Report abuse |
  6. Ancient Texan

    Will the half that remains be in even greater danger? Stay tuned for the next installment.

    February 12, 2013 at 11:39 am | Report abuse |
  7. saywhat

    We had no business to be there in the first place as invaders & occupiers. We have no business to prolong that folly.
    Should have learned that from history.

    February 12, 2013 at 12:01 pm | Report abuse |
  8. banasy©

    Is that why Bush not only can't leave the country because of an international warrant for his arrest, but didn't include the defense budget in the general budget?

    February 12, 2013 at 12:13 pm | Report abuse |
  9. banasy©

    Blocked, as expected. There isn't any good reason to have a comment section if one is not allowed to comment.

    February 12, 2013 at 12:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • ronvan

      Banasy and others: Am getting the same thing. Have also noticed that at times you cannot even get a "reply" to come up.

      February 13, 2013 at 8:51 am | Report abuse |
  10. Half a yay

    Neocons are still running the show from within the Military-Industrial Complex and were never elected. Welcome home.

    February 12, 2013 at 12:37 pm | Report abuse |
  11. bobcat (in a hat)©

    Here's an even better idea. Just bring them all home right now. The Afghan military would like nothing more than for for us to continue to do their fighting for them. we have trained them in how to defend themselves and it is now time for them to grow some testicles and face up the those who threaten them. If they choose to not stand up to these bullies, then that is their problem. We showed them how, now it's their time to do.
    This may sound harsh, but that's just the way it is.

    February 12, 2013 at 12:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • ronvan

      Definitely agree! Just how long are WE suppossed to "train" them? It takes US about 3 months to train OUR soldiers.

      February 12, 2013 at 2:18 pm | Report abuse |
    • bobcat (in a hat)©

      That's right ronvan, which leads me to believe that these are just a timid people, except when it comes to beating up on their women, who choose to be bullied. To me they are just cowards who will stab you in the back, literally, but are afraid to look you in the eye. We don't need this.

      February 12, 2013 at 2:41 pm | Report abuse |
  12. saywhat

    @bobcat
    Permit me my friend to get in a dissenting point.
    Afghan tribes by tradition are warriors and have stood up to great armies in their long history. If one reads up on accounts of encounters by our own soldiers the view is supported. They would fight if challenged but negotiate and they come around. They are at the same time crafty and would stab you in the back if the need arise and the penchant for suppressing their women rules in rural Afghanistan.

    February 12, 2013 at 3:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • bobcat (in a hat)©

      I've tried to respond in countless ways, but again CNN is blocking me. Maybe later.

      February 12, 2013 at 4:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • ronvan

      saywhat: there is ONE word in your comment that really covers most of this. TRADITIONS! These people continue to live in the 18th century, NOT because they couldn't live by modern standards, it is because they are NOT willing to change their traditions! Children are raised, from birth, and BRAINWASHED, into their culture and history.

      February 12, 2013 at 9:02 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Why should i o it

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    February 21, 2013 at 8:31 pm | Report abuse |
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