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US Senator McCain in Kabul, Asks US Bases Remain

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U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) leaves after Senator Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) speech on the Senate floor on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Dec. 9, 2014.
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) leaves after Senator Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) speech on the Senate floor on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Dec. 9, 2014.

Spending the American Fourth of July holiday weekend with the U.S. troops in Afghanistan has become an annual ritual for John McCain.

The Arizona Republican and Senate Armed Services Committee chairman visited Kabul again this year to meet the forces as well as top Afghan leadership.

U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona walks with American service personnel as an EC-130H Compass Call, deployed from a base in his home state of Arizona, is prepared for a mission.
U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona walks with American service personnel as an EC-130H Compass Call, deployed from a base in his home state of Arizona, is prepared for a mission.

McCain said he is suggesting that U.S. President Barack Obama re-evaluate conditions in Afghanistan and decide to keep open some of its military bases in the country beyond 2016.

McCain has always been against what he calls a “calendar-based withdrawal” from Afghanistan. He was also one of the lawmakers who joined Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s calls to slow down the pullout from Afghanistan.

10,000 US personnel

Obama agreed to keep almost 10,000 personnel in Afghanistan this year, but announced he would like to reduce the numbers in a Kabul-based embassy presence by the end of next year.

Sen. John McCain visits with members of the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.
Sen. John McCain visits with members of the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

During his visit, McCain suggested that the security situation in Afghanistan is evolving, and an embassy-based presence would not be enough personnel.

He wants the U.S. to maintain a much higher force level of up to 6,000 members, and keep the military bases in Bagram and Kandahar open.

“Those would be necessary in order to maintain the capability to support the Afghan armed services, the military, as they continue this fight against the Taliban," McCain said.

However, he warned that a total withdrawal might risk all the gains U.S. and NATO forces have made in Afghanistan during the past 15 years.

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