Updated on
Summary
US intelligence officials have concluded there are only about 100 al Qaeda fighters in the entire Afghanistan. A senior US intelligence official told ABC News the approximate estimate of 100 al Qaeda members left in Afghanistan reflects the conclusion of American intelligence agencies and the Defense Department. The relatively small number was part of the intelligence passed on to the White House as President Obama conducted his deliberations. ABC News said 100,000 troops in Afghanistan at an estimated yearly cost of $30 billion would mean a U.S. commitment of 1,000 troops and $300 million a year for each al-Qaida member in the country.
