US military blindsided by Trump's new Afghan troop withdrawal

WASHINGTON: The US military was blindsided Thursday by President's assertion that all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, with US officials saying they are not aware of such a plan and have gotten no actual order to accelerate the more gradual pullout they've been executing. Trump's comments, laid out in a confusing progression of comments and a tweet, alarmed and State officials who fear that putting a definitive date on troop withdrawal could undercut negotiations to finalize a peace deal between the Taliban and the Afghan government. They also fear a hasty withdrawal could force the US to leave behind sensitive...