U.S. 9,800 troops
U.S. 9,800 troops, President Obama said Tuesday that he will delay a planned withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and maintain a force of 9,800 in the war-torn nation through the end of this year.
Reductions in 2016 will be made based on conditions on the ground, according to a joint U.S.-Afghanistan statement issued after Obama met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House.
While the United States had planned to cut its Afghanistan force nearly in half this year, Obama said he agreed to Ghani's request for a slowdown so that Afghanistan can continue building up its own force.
"This flexibility reflects our reinvigorated partnership with Afghanistan, which is aimed at making Afghanistan secure and preventing it from being used to launch terrorist attacks," Obama said at a joint news conference with his Afghan counterpart.
The president met Ghani and other officials from Afghanistan's new "unity government" as part of an effort to improve U.S.-Afghan relations that deteriorated under predecessor Hamid Karzai.
In announcing the delayed withdrawal, Obama — who at one point accidentally called Ghani "Karzai" — repeatedly cited the new sense of cooperation with Afghanistan, in apparent contrast to relations with the previous president.
The Obama administration had planned to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan from some 9,800 to about 5,500 by the end of 2015.
Obama stressed that the end of the withdrawal timeline has not changed: Most U.S. troops are to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. Only a small force will remain to protect the U.S. embassy, and "our transition out of a combat role has not changed," he said.
"The specific trajectory of the 2016 draw down will be established later this year to enable our final consolidation to a Kabul-based embassy presence by the end of 2016," Obama said.
The delay for 2015 will help "compensate" for the length of time it took the new Afghanistan government to form, Obama said. He also said, "we want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to help Afghan security forces succeed -- so we don't have to go back."
Ghani thanked Obama and the United State for helping Afghanistan.
"You stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and I'd like to say thank you," Ghani said. "I would also like to thank the American taxpayer for his and her hard-earned dollars that has enabled us."
Maintaining the current U.S. force for the rest of the year will "be used to accelerate reforms, to ensure that the Afghan national security forces are much better led, equipped, trained, and are focused on the fundamental mission," Ghani said.
Analysts say the reason for delaying the draw down of U.S. forces is an uncertain security situation in the region and concerns about a repeat of Iraq, where the American military departed in 2011 and Iraq's army collapsed last year in the face of an Islamic State onslaught last year.
"That issue has caused pause in Afghanistan," said Seth Jones, an analyst at Rand Corp.
Afghanistan may face similar threats. Jones said the Islamic State has established a presence in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The challenge is the situation remains in flux," he said.
A U.S.-led coalition invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to dislodge the ruling Taliban for protecting the plotters of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. After the installation of a new government, the U.S. kept troops in Afghanistan to fight an ongoing war by Taliban insurgents.
"Tragedy brought us together," Ghani said at the White House. "Interests now unite us."
Ghani won a close and disputed election last year in Afghanistan. Amid arguments about the vote, Ghani and chief opponent Abdullah Abdullah agreed to form a unity government, with Abdullah tabbed as "chief executive officer."
Abdullah also attended the White House meetings, and Obama mentioned Abdullah often in the Tuesday news conference with Ghani.
"
Ghani has also spoken this week with Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry, both of whom pledged continuing U.S. military and economic assistance to Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, the Afghanistan president addresses a joint session of Congress. Later in the week, he speaks with other world leaders at the United Nations.
Reductions in 2016 will be made based on conditions on the ground, according to a joint U.S.-Afghanistan statement issued after Obama met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House.
While the United States had planned to cut its Afghanistan force nearly in half this year, Obama said he agreed to Ghani's request for a slowdown so that Afghanistan can continue building up its own force.
"This flexibility reflects our reinvigorated partnership with Afghanistan, which is aimed at making Afghanistan secure and preventing it from being used to launch terrorist attacks," Obama said at a joint news conference with his Afghan counterpart.
The president met Ghani and other officials from Afghanistan's new "unity government" as part of an effort to improve U.S.-Afghan relations that deteriorated under predecessor Hamid Karzai.
In announcing the delayed withdrawal, Obama — who at one point accidentally called Ghani "Karzai" — repeatedly cited the new sense of cooperation with Afghanistan, in apparent contrast to relations with the previous president.
The Obama administration had planned to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan from some 9,800 to about 5,500 by the end of 2015.
Obama stressed that the end of the withdrawal timeline has not changed: Most U.S. troops are to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. Only a small force will remain to protect the U.S. embassy, and "our transition out of a combat role has not changed," he said.
"The specific trajectory of the 2016 draw down will be established later this year to enable our final consolidation to a Kabul-based embassy presence by the end of 2016," Obama said.
The delay for 2015 will help "compensate" for the length of time it took the new Afghanistan government to form, Obama said. He also said, "we want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to help Afghan security forces succeed -- so we don't have to go back."
Ghani thanked Obama and the United State for helping Afghanistan.
"You stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and I'd like to say thank you," Ghani said. "I would also like to thank the American taxpayer for his and her hard-earned dollars that has enabled us."
Maintaining the current U.S. force for the rest of the year will "be used to accelerate reforms, to ensure that the Afghan national security forces are much better led, equipped, trained, and are focused on the fundamental mission," Ghani said.
Analysts say the reason for delaying the draw down of U.S. forces is an uncertain security situation in the region and concerns about a repeat of Iraq, where the American military departed in 2011 and Iraq's army collapsed last year in the face of an Islamic State onslaught last year.
"That issue has caused pause in Afghanistan," said Seth Jones, an analyst at Rand Corp.
Afghanistan may face similar threats. Jones said the Islamic State has established a presence in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. "The challenge is the situation remains in flux," he said.
A U.S.-led coalition invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to dislodge the ruling Taliban for protecting the plotters of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. After the installation of a new government, the U.S. kept troops in Afghanistan to fight an ongoing war by Taliban insurgents.
"Tragedy brought us together," Ghani said at the White House. "Interests now unite us."
Ghani won a close and disputed election last year in Afghanistan. Amid arguments about the vote, Ghani and chief opponent Abdullah Abdullah agreed to form a unity government, with Abdullah tabbed as "chief executive officer."
Abdullah also attended the White House meetings, and Obama mentioned Abdullah often in the Tuesday news conference with Ghani.
"
Ghani has also spoken this week with Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry, both of whom pledged continuing U.S. military and economic assistance to Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, the Afghanistan president addresses a joint session of Congress. Later in the week, he speaks with other world leaders at the United Nations.
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