This news has been discussed quite often but more like conjunctures, rumors. Finally it is out in the open that General David Petraeus is giving the final shape to the retreat of Americans troops.(Do I see another Vietnam). Even though Taliban and AL-Qaeda remain undefeated in this region. The exact nature of this retreat is not clear to anybody because it is being guarded zealously by the General himself.
When asked about it he jokingly said that there is only one officer working on this project and you are looking at him.(Wry humor). The press was agog with news that around 5,000 to 10,000 troops will be removed in the first phase. This was dismissed by the General as rubbish because he said that he is the only person with the plans so how come the press knows about it.
It is expected that these plans will be presented to the President this June before he becomes the Director of CIA.So deep is the insecurity that Generals own staff have been kept out of it and some of them have been fed with false information to keep everybody confused. General believes this the best way to plug any leak which might give Taliban time to prepare and attack the retreating forces.
The General is a classic case of once bitten twice shy adage. This happened to his report of a troop surge in 2009. His report was meant for the President only got leaked to the press leading to a PR disaster and giving the enemy time to reposition assets and chalk out new strategies. The speculations became so much that President was forced to add that these new troops will start withdrawing within 2 years.
"What a commander in my position should do is to provide the chain of command and president with options to implement the policy … at a pace determined by conditions on the ground," said Petraeus, who led CENTCOM during deliberations over the troop surge