{"id":71725,"date":"2020-12-23T19:29:07","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T19:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/23\/acting-defense-chief-visits-afghanistan-during-troop-pullout\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:02:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:02:29","slug":"acting-defense-chief-visits-afghanistan-during-troop-pullout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/2020\/12\/23\/acting-defense-chief-visits-afghanistan-during-troop-pullout\/","title":{"rendered":"Acting defense chief visits Afghanistan during troop pullout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller<\/a> made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Tuesday, meeting top leaders during the American troop withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon said Miller met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in the country. Miller\u2019s stop in Kabul is the second visit by senior defense officials in the last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Army Gen. Mark Milley<\/a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was there Wednesday to meet with Afghan and military leaders and discuss growing concerns about increased Taliban attacks<\/a> on Afghan forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the so-called Doha agreement signed in February by the United States and the Taliban, the Trump administration agreed to a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops, going down to zero troops by May 2021 if the agreement\u2019s conditions are upheld. One condition is a reduction in violence by the Taliban, leading to a nationwide ceasefire. The Taliban also agreed to begin peace negotiations with the Afghan government, which are in an early stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\t