US | President Obama US Will Begin Withdrawing Troops in July 2011 President will discuss Afghan timetable in speech tonight By John Johnson Posted Dec 1, 2009 3:09 PM CST Copied In this Oct. 21 file photo, President Obama speaks at Metropolitan Archives facility, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File) President Obama plans to begin withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan in July 2011, senior administration officials say. Obama will sketch out the timetable tonight when he announces plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to the country over the next 6 months, report the New York Times and the Washington Post. Obama will try to make clear to Americans that the troop surge will be accompanied by a clear exit strategy. The administration's thinking is that by accelerating the arrival of US troops—a total of 100,000 will be on the ground in May—it will help the Afghan government and army get up to speed more quickly. Read These Next Trump reportedly wants a $230M payout from the DOJ. A well-known nutrition influencer died after a home birth. Trump nominee who said he has 'a Nazi streak' withdraws. RFK Jr. offered his wife a fake separation. Report an error