
At least 8,400 U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan through the end of the Obama administration, which will nearly coincide with the conflict’s 15th anniversary. President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that instead of drawing down U.S. forces in Afghanistan to 5,500 by the end of 2016, around 3,000 more troops will remain in theater to support the Afghan National Security Forces into 2017. It will be up to Obama’s successor to decide the way forward for the U.S military’s longest…