Leaving Afghanistan.

• Position: GRAPH: SUMMER 2013 - Ending the war with Afghanistan - Brief article

President Obama wants to wind down the tong war in Afghanistan over the next year and a half [see article, p. 12]. American troops invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The plan was to crush AI. Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the attacks, and to topple the Taliban, the regime that had harbored AL. Qaeda. What at first appeared to be a quick victory for U.S. troops has become a drawnout conflict against Taliban insurgents.

ANALYZE THE GRAPH

1 The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan had reached almost 100,000 in January --.

a 2002

b 2009

c 2011

d 2013

2 In January 2013, troop levels in Afghanistan nearly matched levels from January--.

a 2007

b 2008

c 2009

d 2010

3 About how many U.S. troops were in Afghanistan in January 2009, when President Obama took office for his first term?

a 26,000

b 33,000

c 38,000

d 42,000

4 The greatest increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan occurred from --.

a 2002 to 2003

b 2006 to 2007

c 2009 to 2010

d 2010 to 2011

5 President Obama has pledged to bring 34,000 troops home by the end of 2013. This would Leave --U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

a about 23,000

b about 32,000

c about/,8,000

d about 5?,000

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1 Does the number of U.S. troops currently in Afghanistan surprise you? If so, did you think there were more or fewer troops fighting there? Why?

2 What...