President Obama announced Wednesday that he will slow the drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, keeping about 8,400 troops there instead of reducing the number to 5,500 by the end of 2016, as was originally planned. There are currently 9,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Though Obama said that Afghanistan is a "much better place than it was," he explained that Afghan security forces are still not as strong as they need to be and that security "remains precarious." Thirty-eight Americans were killed in Afghanistan over the last year and a half. Troops will remain focused on supporting counterterrorism efforts and advising Afghan forces.
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Obama said that he will leave it up to his successor to determine the appropriate next step for America's military presence in the country.