Which they take at face value and also to be a horrible, cynical thing to do. Which, if it’s at all true, then it probably is for political reasons, but so what? Doesn’t that just mean that that’s what the American people — the right even — want to happen, and that he’d be carrying out their popular will? Heaven forfend.

“The Trump administration intends to announce the drawdown of about 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as early next week, according to three current and former U.S. officials. The withdrawal will leave between 8,000 and 9,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the officials said. …

“‘This takes us to the minimum that you have to keep in the country to remain credible negotiating with the Taliban,’ the former official said. …

“His advisers have over the past three years convinced him not to pull the plug on the Afghanistan mission, but the president showed a willingness to take such a step in October when he abruptly pulled U.S. troops out of Syria.

“Trump had made clear to his advisers earlier this year that he wanted to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the November 2020 election.

“‘It’s all about talking points in 2020,’ the former official said.”

Yeah, just terrible, huh?