U.S. commander in Afghanistan offers drawdown options

(Reuters) - The head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan said on Thursday he has presented his commanders with options on troop withdrawals in 2015, even as U.S. lawmakers accused the Obama administration of rushing to cut the U.S. military presence after 13 years of war.

Army General John Campbell told the Senate Armed Services Committee his options would offer U.S. leaders flexibility in how they withdraw forces during the year.

About 10,000 U.S. troops are currently in Afghanistan to train and assist Afghan forces, but the number is slated to drop to 5,500 by year's end.

A senior administration official said on Wednesday that Obama was considering a request from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to slow the pace of withdrawals.

Lawmakers asked Campbell whether his options included leaving in place more troops after the end of the year, noting that retired Marine General James Mattis, a former head of U.S. Central Command, had recommended some 20,000.

"None of the options recommend an increase like that," Campbell said.

He said most options would offer greater flexibility on the pace and timing of withdrawals, as well as the locations from which forces would be pulled.

Republican Senator John McCain, who chairs the Senate panel, said Ghani told a U.S. congressional delegation at the Munich security summit over the weekend that current U.S. drawdown plans could jeopardize his country.

Obama's plan calls for reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan to just an embassy presence by the end of 2016.

"If we've learned anything from Iraq, it should be that wars do not end just because politicians say so," McCain said. "We cannot let the Taliban, al Qaeda and ISIS (Islamic State) conquer Afghanistan."  Read More at U.S. commander in Afghanistan offers drawdown options