Obama expands combat mission in Afghanistan to target Taliban

President Obama decided to expand the U.S. military role in Afghanistan in a classified order, the New York Times reported late Friday.

Obama signed the order in recent weeks, according to the Times, giving troops a broader mandate in 2015 than previously planned.

{mosads}The new authorization allows U.S. troops to carry out missions against the Taliban and other militant groups that threaten Afghanistan’s stability with the use of jets, bombers and drones.

The president announced the final drawdown plan in May, at the time saying the 9,800 troops remaining in Afghanistan wouldn’t have a combat role, but would train Afghan forces and hunt the “remnants of Al Qaeda” to end the 13-year war. 

The Times reported that a “lengthy and heated debate” led to the decision to change the mission.

“Safety of our personnel is the President’s first priority and our Armed Forces will continue to engage in operations in self-defense and in support of Afghan Security Forces,” a senior official told The Hill Friday evening.

So “while we will no longer target belligerents solely because they are members of the Taliban, to the extent that Taliban members directly threaten the United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support to al-Qa’ida, we will take appropriate measures to keep Americans safe,” the official continued.