President Obama’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will begin with the departure of approximately 800 National Guard troops this summer, followed by some 800 Marines in the fall, U.S. officials said on Wednesday. The details, provided by Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, are the most specific look so far at how the U.S. military intends to carry out its exit. The small initial pullout leaves as many as 8,400 troops to withdraw in the last few months of 2011, in order to stick to the timetable of having 10,000 out by the end of the year. [Reuters]
