Obama Announces Afghan Troop Withdrawal Plan

A day ahead of a big foreign policy speech at West Point tomorrow, President Obama is making public his plan to pull troops out of Afghanistan.

Obama is largely taking the recommendation of his generals and plans to leave 9,800 troops in Afghanistan for one year beyond the withdrawal of combat forces in December. By the end of 2015, that number will be halved with troops consolidated in the Kabul area, and their primary mission will not be combat but counter-terrorism.

By the end of 2016 fewer than 1000 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan, largely to staff a security office in Kabul.

NPR's Scott Horsley joins Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson to discuss the president's plan.