Why send troops if peace deal is near?

Shortly after a story in the Daily Herald reporting the deployment of 400 members of the Illinois National Guard to Afghanistan, an Aug. 1 headline on the front page stated, "U.S. prepares to withdraw thousands of troops in deal with Taliban." With a deal for withdrawal with the Taliban imminent, why are we deploying these young men and women? With an agreement likely to be finalized in September, shouldn't their deployment be canceled? Why are we sending hundreds when we are talking about plans to withdraw thousands? It makes no sense.

Tim Pociask

Schaumburg