Up to 12,000 U.S., allied troops to remain in Afghanistan

By Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns, Associated Press

Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 | 1:51 p.m.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. and its NATO allies revealed Friday they may keep as many as 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends next year, largely American forces tasked with hunting down remnants of al-Qaida and helping Afghan forces with their own security. Patience with the 11-year-old war has grown thin in the U.S. and Europe, yet Washington and its allies feel they cannot pick up and leave without risking a repeat of what happened in Afghanistan after Soviet troops withdrew in 1989: Attention turned elsewhere, the Taliban grabbed power and al-Qaida found refuge. In disclosing that he ...

Associated Press writers Don Melvin and Julie Pace contributed to this report. Baldor reported from Brussels.

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Discussion: 1 comments so far…

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By chuck333

Feb. 22, 2013

2:56 p.m.

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Bring all of them home and put an end to this disaster. Let the middle east finger itself out!
By jazzy13 (Mick Davis)

Feb. 22, 2013

4:44 p.m.

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I could have sworn throughout 2012 the President said all US ground forces except for some special forces (to train Afghan troops) would be gone from Afghanistan by late 2013/early 2014. Liar Liar Pants On Fire! At this rate President Obama's daughters will be old enough to serve in Afghanistan.