PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The former president of Pakistan is criticizing U.S. plans to start pulling troops out of Afghanistan in just over a year.
At a speaking tour stop in Portland, Pervez Musharraf (PARE-vez Moo-SHAR-uff) on Monday praised President Barack Obama for committing 30,000 more troops to fighting the Taliban.
But the former leader was sharply opposed to Obama's plan to begin withdrawing forces in July 2011, saying U.S. soldiers should fight until the Taliban is defeated.
Musharraf took power in Pakistan in a 1999 coup and was forced to resign as president in 2008. He lives in London but said he would lead Pakistan again if the people voted him into office.








