McCONNELL’S REBUKE: President Trump’s move to accelerate the drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan during his final days in office has drawn a sharp rebuke from Republicans in Congress, most notably from Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who depending on the outcome of Senate runoff elections in Georgia is poised to be the second most powerful person in Washington.

McConnell took to the Senate floor to denounce the troop cuts that leaked out yesterday in various press reports, including plans to roughly halve U.S. forces in Afghanistan from roughly 5,000 to 2,500 by Jan. 15, five days before Joe Biden takes office. In Iraq, about 500 troops would be brought home, a reduction from about 3,000 to 2,500 troops. “Military leaders were told over the weekend about the planned withdrawals and an executive order is in the works but has not yet been delivered to commanders,” reported the Associated Press.