Trump gives U.S. military authority to set Afghan troop levels: U.S. official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has given Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to set troop levels in Afghanistan, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday, opening the door for future troop increases requested by the U.S. commander.  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said no immediate decision had been made about the troop levels, which are now set at about 8,400.  The Pentagon declined to comment.  The decision is similar to one announced in April that applied to U.S. troop levels in Iraq and Syria, and came as Mattis warned Congress the U.S.-backed Afghan forces were not beating the Taliban despite more than 15 years of war.  "We are not winning in Afghanistan right now," Mattis said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier on Tuesday. "And we will correct this as soon as possible."COMMENTARY: Why a troop surge in Afghanistan is a terrible idea Mattis said the Taliban were “surging” at the moment, something he said he intended to address.  A former U.S. official said such a decision might allow the White House to argue that it was not micromanaging as much as the administration of former President Barack Obama was sometimes accused of doing.  Critics say delegating too much authority to the military does not shield Trump from political responsibility during battlefield setbacks and could reduce the chances for diplomats to warn of potential blowback from military decisions.  It has been four months since Army General John Nicholson, who leads U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, said he needed “a few thousand” additional forces, some potentially drawn from U.S. allies.  Current and former U.S. officials say discussions revolve around adding 3,000 to 5,000 troops. Those forces are expected to be largely comprised of trainers to support Afghan forces, as well as air crews.  Deliberations include giving more authority to forces on the ground and taking more aggressive action against Taliban fighters.  Some U.S. officials have questioned the benefit of sending more troops to Afghanistan because any politically palatable number would not be enough to turn the tide, much less create stability and security. To date, more than 2,300 Americans have been killed and more than 17,000 wounded since the war began in 2001.  Any increase of several thousand troops would leave American forces in Afghanistan well below their 2011 peak of more than 100,000 troops.  The Afghan government was assessed by the U.S. military to control or influence just 59.7 percent of Afghanistan’s 407 districts as of Feb. 20, a nearly 11 percentage-point decrease from the same time in 2016, according to data released by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.  A truck bomb explosion in Kabul last month killed more than 150 people, making it the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since the Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a NATO-led coalition after ruling the country for five years.  On Saturday, three U.S. soldiers were killed when an Afghan soldier opened fire on them in eastern Afghanistan.  The broader regional U.S. strategy for Afghanistan remains unclear. Mattis promised on Tuesday to brief lawmakers on a new war strategy by mid-July that is widely expected to call for thousands more U.S. troops.  Senator John McCain, the chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, pressed Mattis on the deteriorating situation during the Tuesday hearing, saying the United States had an urgent need for “a change in strategy, and an increase in resources if we are to turn the situation around.”  “We recognize the need for urgency,” Mattis said.  politicsNews
trump gives military authority set afghan troop levels official washington reuters president donald trump given defense secretary jim mantis authority set troop levels afghanistan official told reuters tuesday opening door future troop increases requested commander the official spoke condition anonymity said immediate decision made troop levels set the pentagon declined comment the decision similar one announced april applied troop levels iraq syria came mantis warned congress afghan forces beating taliban despite years war we winning afghanistan right mantis said testimony senate armed services committee earlier tuesday and correct soon possible commentary why troop surge afghanistan terrible idea mantis said taliban urging moment something said intended address a former official said decision might allow white house argue micromanaging much administration former president barack obama sometimes accused critics say deleting much authority military shield trump political responsibility battlefield setbacks could reduce chances diplomats warn potential blowback military decisions it four months since army general john nichols leads international forces afghanistan said needed thousand additional forces potentially drawn allies current former officials say discussions revolve around adding troops those forces expected largely comprised trainers support afghan forces well air crews deliberations include giving authority forces ground taking aggressive action taliban fighters some officials questioned benefit sending troops afghanistan politically playable number would enough turn tide much less create stability security to date americans killed wounded since war began any increase several thousand troops would leave american forces afghanistan well peak troops the afghan government assessed military control influence percent afghanistan districts nearly decrease time according data released special inspector general afghanistan reconstruction a truck bomb explosion kabul last month killed people making deadliest attack afghan capital since taliban ousted coalition ruling country five years on saturday three soldiers killed afghan soldier opened fire eastern afghanistan the broader regional strategy afghanistan remains unclear mantis promised tuesday brief lawmakers new war strategy widely expected call thousands troops senator john mccain chairman armed forces committee pressed mantis deteriorating situation tuesday hearing saying united states urgent need change strategy increase resources turn situation we recognize need urgency mantis said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump gives U.S. military authority to set Afghan troop levels: U.S. official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has given Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the authority to set troop levels in Afghanistan, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday, opening the door for future troop increases requested by the U.S. commander.  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said no immediate decision had been made about the troop levels, which are now set at about 8,400.  The Pentagon declined to comment.  The decision is similar to one announced in April that applied to U.S. troop levels in Iraq and Syria, and came as Mattis warned Congress the U.S.-backed Afghan forces were not beating the Taliban despite more than 15 years of war.  "We are not winning in Afghanistan right now," Mattis said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier on Tuesday. "And we will correct this as soon as possible."COMMENTARY: Why a troop surge in Afghanistan is a terrible idea Mattis said the Taliban were “surging” at the moment, something he said he intended to address.  A former U.S. official said such a decision might allow the White House to argue that it was not micromanaging as much as the administration of former President Barack Obama was sometimes accused of doing.  Critics say delegating too much authority to the military does not shield Trump from political responsibility during battlefield setbacks and could reduce the chances for diplomats to warn of potential blowback from military decisions.  It has been four months since Army General John Nicholson, who leads U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, said he needed “a few thousand” additional forces, some potentially drawn from U.S. allies.  Current and former U.S. officials say discussions revolve around adding 3,000 to 5,000 troops. Those forces are expected to be largely comprised of trainers to support Afghan forces, as well as air crews.  Deliberations include giving more authority to forces on the ground and taking more aggressive action against Taliban fighters.  Some U.S. officials have questioned the benefit of sending more troops to Afghanistan because any politically palatable number would not be enough to turn the tide, much less create stability and security. To date, more than 2,300 Americans have been killed and more than 17,000 wounded since the war began in 2001.  Any increase of several thousand troops would leave American forces in Afghanistan well below their 2011 peak of more than 100,000 troops.  The Afghan government was assessed by the U.S. military to control or influence just 59.7 percent of Afghanistan’s 407 districts as of Feb. 20, a nearly 11 percentage-point decrease from the same time in 2016, according to data released by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.  A truck bomb explosion in Kabul last month killed more than 150 people, making it the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since the Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a NATO-led coalition after ruling the country for five years.  On Saturday, three U.S. soldiers were killed when an Afghan soldier opened fire on them in eastern Afghanistan.  The broader regional U.S. strategy for Afghanistan remains unclear. Mattis promised on Tuesday to brief lawmakers on a new war strategy by mid-July that is widely expected to call for thousands more U.S. troops.  Senator John McCain, the chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, pressed Mattis on the deteriorating situation during the Tuesday hearing, saying the United States had an urgent need for “a change in strategy, and an increase in resources if we are to turn the situation around.”  “We recognize the need for urgency,” Mattis said.  politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump gives military authority set afghan troop levels official washington reuters president donald trump given defense secretary jim mantis authority set troop levels afghanistan official told reuters tuesday opening door future troop increases requested commander the official spoke condition anonymity said immediate decision made troop levels set the pentagon declined comment the decision similar one announced april applied troop levels iraq syria came mantis warned congress afghan forces beating taliban despite years war we winning afghanistan right mantis said testimony senate armed services committee earlier tuesday and correct soon possible commentary why troop surge afghanistan terrible idea mantis said taliban urging moment something said intended address a former official said decision might allow white house argue micromanaging much administration former president barack obama sometimes accused critics say deleting much authority military shield trump political responsibility battlefield setbacks could reduce chances diplomats warn potential blowback military decisions it four months since army general john nichols leads international forces afghanistan said needed thousand additional forces potentially drawn allies current former officials say discussions revolve around adding troops those forces expected largely comprised trainers support afghan forces well air crews deliberations include giving authority forces ground taking aggressive action taliban fighters some officials questioned benefit sending troops afghanistan politically playable number would enough turn tide much less create stability security to date americans killed wounded since war began any increase several thousand troops would leave american forces afghanistan well peak troops the afghan government assessed military control influence percent afghanistan districts nearly decrease time according data released special inspector general afghanistan reconstruction a truck bomb explosion kabul last month killed people making deadliest attack afghan capital since taliban ousted coalition ruling country five years on saturday three soldiers killed afghan soldier opened fire eastern afghanistan the broader regional strategy afghanistan remains unclear mantis promised tuesday brief lawmakers new war strategy widely expected call thousands troops senator john mccain chairman armed forces committee pressed mantis deteriorating situation tuesday hearing saying united states urgent need change strategy increase resources turn situation we recognize need urgency mantis said politicsnews