The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes an amendment that seeks to block planned troop drawdowns from Afghanistan. According to a Pentagon statement, the Afghanistan withdrawal is still being executed, despite the NDAA becoming law.
“Currently, no new orders have been issued which impact the progression of the conditions-based drawdown expected to reach 2,500 (troops) by Jan. 15, 2021,” the Pentagon said in a statement to Reuters.
The NDAA amendment aims to stop the drawdown by blocking funds for bringing troops home from Afghanistan until the Pentagon submits an assessment to Congress on how the troop reduction would impact US national security.
The amendment requires the assessment be submitted to Congress as soon the NDAA becomes law, again when troop numbers dip below 4,000, and again when they go below 2,000. But so far, no report has been submitted, and the drawdown continues.
One Pentagon official speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity said the US troop level in Afghanistan is close to 3,000.
President Trump vetoed the NDAA, but both the House and the Senate secured the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto. It was the first time Congress was able to override one of Trump’s vetoes.
The US-Taliban peace deal signed in February 2020 paved the way for all US troops to leave Afghanistan by Spring 2021. It’s not clear if Joe Biden will follow through with the plan. While on the campaign trail, Biden said he could not promise a full withdrawal from Afghanistan, Syria, or Iraq. He said he supports keeping a small counterterrorism force in each country.
“The NDAA amendment aims to stop the drawdown by blocking funds for bringing troops home from Afghanistan until the Pentagon submits an assessment to Congress on how the troop reduction would impact US national security.”
Talk about putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. Sure, lets trust the pentagon assessment.
F the Neocons!
I’m sure you mean Fire the Neocons, right? 😉
I think getting rid of the former DOD establishment guy and putting Douglas McGregor as a trouble shooter had good results. They ignored Congress and followed the Constitutional orders of the commander in chief. Congress has no authority to override the order of a POTUS in this matter.
Congress has every authority to override the order of a POTUS in any matter. He’s the executive. His job is to execute what Congress legislates.
Has your opinion been tested in any fashion in during the existence of this country?
Reason being it isn’t feasible for Congress to have this power. This subject was covered in the Federalist Paper # 74. The words used were under “a single hand”.
Regardless, since the POTUS has been given the authority to initiate the military into combat without Congressional authorization, it is pretty illogical to assume the reverse isn’t true. Congress has the authority to authorize funding or not for a withdrawal. Since the is discretionary funds for the movement of troops is already in place, Congressional approval is moot.
Redeployment is a POTUS prerogative, especially since the entire Middle East has been essentially been declared to be a combat zone under the 2001 AUMF.
Since you believe the POTUS doesn’t have the authority to remove troops or redeploy them under Article II, Section 2, suggest you get in contact with your Congressional representatives and suggest that this action by the POTUS should be added to whatever fabricated charges for impeachment are being devised.
Good luck with that.
1) I don’t have a congressional representative.
2) I certainly believe that the POTUS has the authority to remove troops or redeploy them under Article II, Section 2 — unless Congress legislates otherwise. He’s commander in chief of the armed forces when they are called into the actual service of the United States. Congress does the calling and dismissing.