U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to maintain 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of his presidency leaves many unanswered questions about the best path forward as the security situation continues to worsen, experts said.
The administration had initially planned to reduce the number of U.S. troops from the current 9,800 to around 5,500 by the end of 2016.
But Obama announced Wednesday the security situation in Afghanistan "remains precarious" and so he is leaving more troops than originally planned through the end of his term, which ends January 20, 2017.
"The Taliban remains a threat. They have gained ground in some cases, they have continued attacks and suicide bombings including in Kabul," Obama said. "Because the Taliban deliberately target civilians more Afghan men, women and children are dying and often overlooked in the global refugee crisis."
Obama said leaving more troops in Afghanistan when he leaves office will give the next U.S. president “a solid foundation for continued progress in Afghanistan as well as the flexibility to address the threat of terrorism as it evolves.”