Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
US troops to remain in Afghanistan through 2016
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Oct 15, 2015
Listen • 9:28
US troops to remain in Afghanistan through 2016
President Obama says Afghan forces are "fully responsible for securing their country" but US troops are still needed for training and support.
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN - MARCH 08: MRAP vehicles sit in the Redistribution Property Accountability Team (RPAT) yard at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) on March 8, 2014 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. The RPAT facility is responsible for shipping military equipment back to the United States after it has been damaged or is no longer need in Afghanistan. The facility also redistributes equipment within the country if its needed by another unit. President Obama recently ordered the Pentagon to begin contingency planning for a pullout from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 if Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai or his successor refuses to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN - MARCH 08: MRAP vehicles sit in the Redistribution Property Accountability Team (RPAT) yard at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) on March 8, 2014 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. The RPAT facility is responsible for shipping military equipment back to the United States after it has been damaged or is no longer need in Afghanistan. The facility also redistributes equipment within the country if its needed by another unit. President Obama recently ordered the Pentagon to begin contingency planning for a pullout from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 if Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai or his successor refuses to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(
Scott Olson/Getty Images
)

President Obama says Afghan forces are "fully responsible for securing their country" but US troops are still needed for training and support.

American troops stationed across Afghanistan will stay there for now. That was the announcement from President Obama, speaking from the White House Thursday morning.

He said Afghan forces are "fully responsible for securing their country" but US troops are still needed for training and support.

The US was slowly removing troops from Afghanistan until Pres. Obama paused the drawdown earlier this year. Now, about 9,800 American troops will remain in the country through 2016.

Patrick Tucker, a reporter for Defense One, joined Take Two to talk about it. 

Press the blue play button above to hear more.