US government has cautiously reacted to Afghan President’s proposed decree to shut down all private companies within four months. US State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley said in Washington that four months is a very challenging deadline. He added that at this moment, they believe that there is still a need for private security companies to operate in Afghanistan. His reactions came in response to Afghan Presidential spokesman announcement on Monday evening that all private security companies will be given four months time to shut down their operations. The U.S. military and foreign embassies employ private security guards in Afghanistan to provide security for everything from logistics convoys to their personnel. Afghan President Mr. Hamid Karzai earlier this month declared that these companies are working outside the ambit of law and vowed to discontinue their operations. Afghan government plans to re-engage most of around 40 thousand such guards in their own security structure.