Karzai rules out asking for more US troops: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai ruled out Sunday asking the United States for more troops if the security situation in Afghanistan deteriorates during or following the US military drawdown.
President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that 10,000 troops would leave this year and all 33,000 personnel sent as part of a surge ordered in late 2009 would be home by next summer, leaving a US force of some 65,000.
Obama's top brass, including Afghan war commander General David Petraeus, warned that the decision to pull out so many troops so quickly went against their best advice and could imperil fragile gains made against the Taliban.
Karzai, speaking to CNN in his first US interview since the drawdown announcement, welcomed the move but refused to be drawn into a debate on the specific numbers, saying, "we have no opinion on that."
"The number of troops that he has announced to be withdrawn this year and the rest, next year, is a sign that Afghanistan is taking over its own security and trying to defend its territory by its own means. So we are happy with the announcement."
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