Thousands of US troops to stay in Afghanistan until 2017: Obama

News, US October 15, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

President Barack Obama announced on Thursday that United States will maintain a force of 9,800 in Afghanistan for most of the next year, and about 5,500 U.S. troops into 2017, senior U.S. administration officials said.

This policy reversal prolongs American involvement in the longest war in its history.

The United States currently has about 9,800 troops in Afghanistan — a sharp decline from 100,000 troops that were in 2010.

Obama, who had planned to reduce the number of U.S. troops to around 1,000, made the decision at the recommendation of his national security team following a months-long review of security challenges in Afghanistan, two senior administration officials said.

U.S. military leaders argued for months that the Afghans needed additional assistance and support from the U.S. to beat back a resurgent Taliban and hold onto gains made over the last 14 years of American bloodshed and billions of dollars in aid.

The president is expected to make a formal announcement sometime Thursday morning that he plans to maintain 5,500 troops at bases in Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar into 2017 and the term of his successor, the U.S. officials said Wednesday night.

Obama’s change in policy follows military successes by Taliban insurgents against the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan, including the brief capture of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan. It was the first seizure of a major city by the Taliban since they were ousted from power by U.S. forces in 2001.

The administration has more confidence in keeping more troops in Afghanistan because of good relations with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, a more reliable partner than predecessor Hamid Karzai, officials said.

“The narrative that we’re leaving Afghanistan is self-defeating,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday during a speech at the Association of the U.S. Army. “We’re not, we can’t, and to do so would not be to take advantage of the success we’ve had to date.”