Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\tTrump\u2019s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll \u2014 and more troops say they\u2019ll vote for Biden<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
About half of troops surveyed for the poll said they have an unfavorable view of the commander in chief.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n
McKenzie and other military leaders, however, have consistently argued that conditions on the ground and the activities of the enemy must dictate troop levels. They suggest that the U.S. must keep troops in the region to ensure enemies don\u2019t regain a foothold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michele Flournoy, a former top Pentagon leader who is often mentioned as a potential defense chief in a Biden administration, warned against any \u201cprecipitous\u201d withdrawal from Afghanistan that could jeopardize peace. In remarks to the Aspen Security forum, she said that while the U.S. doesn\u2019t want to be in Afghanistan forever, a counterterrorism force should remain until a peace agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government is solidified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said Trump will provide more money for the military while the Democrats probably will try to cut the defense budget. But he also echoed troop withdrawal concerns, reflecting a broader reluctance on the committee to abandon Afghanistan while the Taliban continue to launch attacks and a stubborn IS insurgency threatens to take hold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEverybody wants to be able to bring troops home from Afghanistan and elsewhere. I think the differences are largely about whether you only do it when certain conditions are met or whether you withdraw anyway and hope for the best,\u201d said Thornberry. \u201cReally what I\u2019m thinking of is the way President Obama withdrew from Iraq. … We withdrew and kind of said \u2018Good luck.\u2019 Obviously, things did not go so well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n