Nevertheless, in a statement broadcast from the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Obama declared that the Afghanistan combat mission "came to a responsible end" a year and a half ago.
He added that US forces now have "two narrow missions," defined as terror prevention and training, and cautioned that "even these narrow missions continue to be dangerous."
Originally, President Obama planned to reduce the number of troops from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of 2016. Under the new strategy, 8,400 American troops will remain in Afghanistan through the end of the Obama administration.
The president stated that the Afghan military requires the assistance of the US, and that "The security situation in Afghanistan remains precarious…It is in our national security interest, especially after all the blood and treasure we’ve invested over the years, that we give our partners in Afghanistan the best chance to succeed."
Obama labeled the change in plans an "additional adjustment to our posture," and said the decision was based on advice from the US commander in Afghanistan, Army General John Nicholson, and members of his national security team, including Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"As president and commander in chief, I’ve made it clear that I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as safehaven for terrorists to attack our nation again," he stated. "That is why I constantly review our strategy with my national security team."
The US president said the revised troop deployment will serve the dual purpose of giving the next president a "solid foundation for continued progress in Afghanistan," as well as sending "a message to the Taliban and all of those who have opposed Afghanistan’s progress."
Obama spoke of the approaching fifteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US and of the "9/11 generation" of soldiers that have served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He commented that for US troops to end their deployment in Afghanistan the Taliban and the Afghan government must agree on a lasting political settlement. "That’s why the United States will continue to support an Afghan-led reconciliation process," he said.
Obama added that the "Afghan security forces continue to grow stronger, and the commitment of the international community, including the United States, to Afghanistan and its people will endure."
