Obama's Goal of Ending Two Wars Now Slipping Beyond His Grasp
- New timetable keeps 5,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2017
- Afghan leader Ghani made appeal to reconsider timetable
President Barack Obama speaks during a surprise visit with US troops at Bagram Air Field, north of Kabul, in Afghanistan, on May 25, 2014.
Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Barack Obama’s promise to end two U.S. wars has receded beyond the horizon of his presidency.
Having been pulled at least partway back into Iraq, Obama now is scrapping his goal of leaving Afghanistan by the time he leaves office. The president announced Thursday that he’ll keep 9,800 U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan through much of next year and that 5,500 will stay after 2017 to train and assist Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism operations. The decision on a new date for full withdrawal will rest with the next U.S. president.