U.S. reverses plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

HARI SREENIVASAN:

Now a change of course in Afghanistan and call for the United States to stay.

It's already the longest-running war in American history, and now U.S. troops will be in Afghanistan even longer. The word came today from President Obama during a speech in the White House Roosevelt Room.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

I have repeatedly argued against marching into open-ended military conflicts that do not serve our core security interests.

Yet, given what's at stake in Afghanistan, and the opportunity for a stable and committed ally that can partner with us in preventing the emergence of future threats, I am firmly convinced that we should make this extra effort.

HARI SREENIVASAN:

The new war plan calls for keeping nearly 10,000 troops in Afghanistan through most of 2016, drawing down to 5,500 in 2017.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

Now we're finishing the job we started.

HARI SREENIVASAN:

Today's announcement is an about-face from the plan laid out last May, to leave Afghanistan completely by the end of next year. It would have left just a small embassy-based military presence in Kabul.

But in the last few months, commanders have signaled that the Afghans need more help to beat back the Taliban and hold onto gains made over the last 14 years. Kunduz, in Northern Afghanistan, is a case in point. Taliban fighters briefly took control there last month. The New York Times compiled U.N. data with on-the-ground reporting that shows the insurgency has spread through more of Afghanistan than at any time since 2001, and more than half the country's districts face a substantial, high, or extreme risk of attack.

There are also now concerns about the presence of Islamic State militants.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter:

ASHTON CARTER, Defense Secretary:

We're adjusting our presence based on conditions on the ground to give the United States and our allies the capability to sustain a robust counterterrorism platform, denying a safe haven for terrorists and violent extremist organizations.

HARI SREENIVASAN:

U.S. forces will be stationed in four locations, Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad, and Kandahar.

President Obama said it's the right thing to do.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:

This decision is not disappointing. As I have continually said, my approach is to assess the situation on the ground, to figure out what is working, and figure out what is not working, and make adjustments where necessary. This isn't the first time those adjustments have been made. This won't probably be the last.

HARI SREENIVASAN:

The move puts the decision on how to go forward in Afghanistan firmly in the hands of the president's successor after 2017.