The death of Osama bin Laden reinforces the idea that there needs to be a robust withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan beginning in July, Senate Armed Services Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said May 2.
"I think there's going to be a lot of strong feeling on the part of most Democrats - I think many independents and even some Republicans - that the decision of the president to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan starting in July should be a robust reduction," Levin told reporters during a conference call.
The news that the al-Qaida leader had been killed would not necessarily make that withdrawal larger than already planned, he said.
"I believe it was going to be robust in any event," Levin said, acknowledging that there is disagreement within the Obama administration about how large the troop withdrawal should be.
Levin would not give a number for how many troops he thought should return home from Afghanistan, but he did say it should be "significant," not symbolic.
Removing bin Laden from the picture puts the Afghan government closer to assuming responsibility for its own security, he said.
"The potential of the Afghan Army and the police to take responsibility is greater now," Levin said.
While bin Laden provided little or no day-to-day operational guidance to al-Qaida, his survival gave the group a sense of mystique, the senator said. But bin Laden as the "guiding hand" is now gone, he said.
However, Levin also said he expects retaliatory attacks from al-Qaida.
"That should surprise no one," he said.
As for how the news out of Pakistan will play into the larger debate in the U.S. over the debt and defense spending, Levin said the country needed to find savings in the defense budget before bin Laden's death and it still needs to find them now.
"I think the urgency to find those savings will remain there," Levin said.
"I think there's going to be a lot of strong feeling on the part of most Democrats - I think many independents and even some Republicans - that the decision of the president to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan starting in July should be a robust reduction," Levin told reporters during a conference call.
The news that the al-Qaida leader had been killed would not necessarily make that withdrawal larger than already planned, he said.
"I believe it was going to be robust in any event," Levin said, acknowledging that there is disagreement within the Obama administration about how large the troop withdrawal should be.
Levin would not give a number for how many troops he thought should return home from Afghanistan, but he did say it should be "significant," not symbolic.
Removing bin Laden from the picture puts the Afghan government closer to assuming responsibility for its own security, he said.
"The potential of the Afghan Army and the police to take responsibility is greater now," Levin said.
While bin Laden provided little or no day-to-day operational guidance to al-Qaida, his survival gave the group a sense of mystique, the senator said. But bin Laden as the "guiding hand" is now gone, he said.
However, Levin also said he expects retaliatory attacks from al-Qaida.
"That should surprise no one," he said.
As for how the news out of Pakistan will play into the larger debate in the U.S. over the debt and defense spending, Levin said the country needed to find savings in the defense budget before bin Laden's death and it still needs to find them now.
"I think the urgency to find those savings will remain there," Levin said.
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