The New York Times
Saturday, June 18, 2011 -- 5:06 PM EDT
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Qaeda Woes Fuel Talk of Speeding Afghan Pullback
As the Obama administration nears a decision on how rapidly to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, high-ranking officials say that Al Qaeda's original network in the region has been crippled, providing a rationale for an accelerated reduction of troops.
The officials said drone strikes and other covert operations in Pakistan — most dramatically the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden — had left Al Qaeda paralyzed.
The account of success in the counterterrorism campaign, laid out by the officials on the condition that they not be identified, appeared to be an effort by the White House to advance an argument for a steeper pace of withdrawal from Afghanistan than the Pentagon has advocated.
The focus on progress against Al Qaeda runs counter to arguments made by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and other military officials that the initial drawdown of troops should be modest, and that combat pressure should be maintained as long as possible.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/world/asia/19policy.html?emc=na
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